Feels Like Home To Me
by GentleRed
Summary: A Sequel to "Feather of a Swan". I had quite a few requests to do a sequel to that story, so here it is. Your sequel. Follows Emma, Regina and Veronica's life in Storybrooke. And maybe, just maybe a question is asked..
1. Chapter 1

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 1:**

Emma smiled as she headed back home from a long day at the sheriff's station. There had been a buttload of work to do, and her plan about leaving early had been sabotaged thoroughly.

But now she was finally on her way home, and she smiled as she climbed into the yellow bug. She couldn't wait to come home. Going to work seemed trivial when she knew that Regina and Veronica were literally five minutes away.

Emma had no idea how she had managed to actually go to work during the six months Veronica had been in their life. The little girl was a constant source of joy, with her babbling and big smiles. The baby was very close to getting her first tooth, but she wasn't one bit grumpy because of it yet.

The blonde quickly drove the few minutes home to the mansion, and rubbed her hands as she exited the car and padded up the steps to the porch.

Regina was nowhere to be found when Emma came into the hall, but her voice soared down the stairs.

And Emma both silently cursed herself for missing almost an entire day with Veronica, but also kept her mouth shut and listened quietly. Because if Veronica was being tucked in for the night, it could only mean one thing. In a few seconds Regina would be singing her to sleep.

If there was one thing Emma really appreciated, it was listening to Regina singing their daughter to sleep. Regina herself found it embarrassing that Emma liked listening to it, and claimed that her voice sounded terrible. She was mad. Regina had a fantastic voice, and nothing she said would convince Emma otherwise.

The blonde waited for a few seconds, and strained her ears. And then…

"She's got a smile it seems to me  
Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything  
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky  
Now and then when I see her face  
She takes me away to that special place  
And if I'd stare too long  
I'd probably break down and cry

Oh, oh, oh  
Sweet child o' mine  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Sweet love of mine.."

Emma's smile grew wider. "Sweet child o' mine" seemed to be favorite at the moment, but it wasn't just that. Emma still remembered how "Roni" had turned the volume up and jammed along whenever she heard that song. She wouldn't have taken Regina for a Guns 'n Roses kinda girl, but sometimes looks could be deceiving, and Regina had admitted that it wasn't just "Roni" who liked that song.

"She's got eyes of the bluest skies  
As if they thought of rain  
I hate to look into those eyes  
And see an ounce of pain  
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place  
Where as a child I'd hide  
And pray for the thunder  
And the rain  
To quietly pass me by

Oh, oh, oh  
Sweet child o' mine  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Sweet love of mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Sweet child o' mine  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Sweet love of mine.."

The song slipped into nothing, and Emma quickly pulled away from the stairs. Regina probably already knew she was at home, and she knew that Emma listened in whenever she could, but she got so embarrassed if she actually caught Emma listening to her voice.

So Emma went into the living room where she found one of Regina's books still lying spine up on the coffee table. Still reading that true crime novel, it would seem. A bit heavy for Emma's taste, but Regina were totally consumed by it.

Emma was still studying the book when Regina emerged from the nursery. Dressed in a nightgown and a silk bathrobe. Someone had been planning an early night. But honestly, Emma couldn't blame her. Having a six-month-old baby really did something to your energy.

,,Hey," Emma grinned and leaned in to give Regina light kiss.

,,Hey yourself. We missed you at dinner," Regina frowned.

,,I know, there was a ton of work to do, and Lily was sick, so.."

,,Hmm. Your dinner is in the fridge."

,,Thanks."

And it was. Regina had put a tin-foil covered plate in the fridge. All Emma had to do, was reheat it in the oven.

,,Long day?" Regina asked as Emma got her food out of the oven (and cursed about her burned fingers).

,,Yeah, a bit of a long day," Emma nodded. ,,You?"

,,Not really. But you _did_ miss out on Veronica's magnificent shrieking an hour ago."

,,Bummer," Emma grinned. ,,I'm sorry I couldn't be there for that."

,,Me, too." Regina said dead seriously.

,,So," Emma asked between mouthfuls of steaks. ,,Have you come up with a present yet?"

,,Miss Swan, they are _your_ parents," Regina scowled. ,,It's up to _you_ to think of something to give them for their anniversary."

,,How long have they been married anyway?" Emma thought out loud. She couldn't quite get the timelines to fit anymore.

,,Forty years?" Regina said in a tone that more than suggested that she had no idea either.

,,No way," Emma said and shook her head in disbelief. ,,That long, really?"

,,I think so. Forty years of being disgustingly in love and doe eyed. Sickly."

,,Be nice," Emma warned and pointed at Regina with her fork.

Regina rolled her eyes. ,,I'm just saying that it _is_ possible to be in love without running around and being doe eyed all the time."

,,Mm, you're a living proof of that," Emma grinned. Regina was still pretty private and they didn't exactly flaunt their love in town.

,,Is that so? Would you rather have me declare my love for you at any given moment?"

,,Yes please," Emma grinned.

,,Fine. "I will _always_ find you". Or whatever the hell it is your parents say to each other these days," Regina said dramatically and comedically solemnly.

Emma choked a little one her food as she bursted out laughing. ,,I'm totally telling my mom you said that."

,,Don't you _dare_ ," Regina warned sternly.

Emma continued to snigger throughout dinner. It always sounded so solemn and fairytale like whenever her parents said it, but when Regina said it, well, it sounded a tiny bit ridiculous to be honest. Or maybe it had sounded ridiculous all along, and Emma had just never considered it.

A thin wail erupted from the nursery. Veronica was awake.

Emma pushed her plate away and jumped to her feet.

,,I can take her," Regina offered, already half-way out of her own chair.

,,No, I got her," Emma quickly said and jogged upstairs and into the nursery.

Veronica was less than satisfied, and she flapped her hands at the sight of Emma.

,,Hi there, little bird. Are you a bit unhappy?" Emma said softly and lifted her daughter out of the crib and cradled her in her arms.

,,What can mommy do to make it better, hmm?" Emma kissed Veronica's forehead and the baby immediately cooed. So much for being in a bad mood.

,,You just wanted a bit of attention, didn't you, darling?" Emma said and brushed a baby curl out of Veronica's face. Her hair was turning into a lovely dark chestnut shade, and her eyes were much more green than blue. A perfect little mixture of Regina and Emma.

,,So beautiful," Emma murmured. She told Veronica that half a dozen times a day, and she would keep on doing it for the rest of her life.

,,See, you just needed your mom for a bit, Roni," Emma grinned.

,, _Don't_ call her Roni!" Regina barked from downstairs, and Emma laughed. She had only heard Regina refer to Veronica as "Roni" a million times herself, so this was honestly a bit comical.

It took a while to soothe _Veronica,_ and Emma ended up spending a good hour in the nursery. Not that the baby was fussy or crying much, she simply just didn't feel like going back to sleep.

So Emma sat with her in the old rocking chair for a good while, and she imagined how Regina had sat here with Henry when he was Veronica's age.

It was amazing, really. After Veronica had entered their life, Regina had been so _happy_. It was like the baby was the last, missing piece for her. The one that made her life complete.

And of course, Emma was happy too. _So_ happy. Everything was going great.

And yet.. There was one tiny little detail. Nothing major.

Except..

She wanted to marry Regina.

She had realized that shockingly early on, and Emma knew that it was flaming madness to be that sure, that early on, but she couldn't help it. The thought of making it official, making everybody knows that they were ridiculously in love, so appealed to her.

Emma was, well, not a hundredth percent, but at least ninety-nine-point eight percent sure that Regina would say yes, so that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that she had no idea _how_ to propose to Regina. Emma so wanted the moment to be perfect. Magical in every way. She wanted to do it the _right_ way. Say the right words at the right time. And in a way, that showed Regina how much she loved her. Emma knew very little of Regina's first marriage, the brunette wasn't a fan of talking much about it, but she had told Emma that Cora had accepted the proposal on her behalf, and that still left Emma with a foul taste in her mouth. She didn't give two shits about "rules" and "policy" in the Enchanted Forest, it was fucking _creepy_ that an old man had proposed to an eighteen-year-old Regina.

A soft "bahh" sound caught her attention, and she realized that Veronica had fallen asleep in her arms. Emma smiled as she gently laid the baby down in her crib once more. And this time, Veronica didn't protest in the slightest.

Emma tucked the little girl in and dropped a light goodnight kiss on her forehead, and then she quietly slipped out of the nursery.

Padding downstairs again, she found the kitchen and living room bathed in darkness. Regina had obviously chosen an early night.

 _Oh well_. Staying up was no fun when Regina wasn't here. Emma spun around on her heel and headed upstairs again. It would probably be good for her to go to bed early for once.

The blonde quickly brushed her teeth and recovered her pajamas from the hamper basket. She could sleep in this one more night, she decided as she discarded of her clothes and slipped into the pajama instead.

Emma headed into the bedroom where she, to her surprise, found Regina sitting in the bed, very much awake.

,,Come here," Regina said softly and extended her hand out towards Emma.

 _Now there's an invitation I can't refuse_. Emma took Regina's hand and let her pull her over to the bed.

Regina flashed Emma one of those damned, seductive "weak in the knees" smiles as she easily pushed the blonde down on the bed.

,,Wha-what are you doing?" Emma asked slightly surprised at this change of mood.

,,Expressing my love towards you," Regina said plainly and opened one of the buttons in the blonde's pajama shirt before looking up at Emma. ,,Unless you don't want to…?"

,,No, I _do_ ," Emma said, and then clarified a bit: ,,I just thought you wanted to have an early night."

,,I _am_ having an early night, Em-ma," Regina drawled and popped another button open.

Oh. _Ohh! That kind of early night. Now I get it. Please continue_.

,,Can I… proceed?" Regina asked and read Emma's mind completely.

,,Yes. Please."

,,So polite," Regina chuckled as she made quick work of the rest of the buttons.

,,Shut up," Emma growled and kissed the brunette almost aggressively. Regina wasn't the only one who had moves.

And Regina didn't seem to mind Emma's eagerness one bit. And she certainly didn't need any time to catch her breath. She returned the kiss just as eagerly, and when Emma trailed her lips down her throat, it didn't take long before the brunette's nails ended up boring into the soft flesh on Emma's back.

,,I'm hurting you," she muttered and instantly flattened her hands against Emma's back.

,,No you're _not_ ," Emma said firmly. ,,When will you realize that I happen to _like_ when you do that?"

Regina mumbled something about marking her, and Emma wasn't too dissatisfied with that remark.

 _You can mark me any time you want_.

 **To Be Continued?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 2:**

How did one propose to one's partner when said partner happened to be Regina Mills?

That question kept popping up in Emma's head. She so wanted to do this the right way. But what _was_ the right way even? Shouldn't a proposal be spontaneous in an "I can't live without you-manner"? This was all very confusing.

For a moment, Emma had even considered to ask her mom for advice, but had quickly dropped that idea again. Snow would most like become hysterical and over excited. Emma loved her mother, but she couldn't keep a secret. Regina would most likely find out one way or another, and then the surprise would be ruined.

But then how the hell was she supposed to do this, she asked herself. Of course there was the "old trick" with flowers and a ring with a rock the size of Storybrooke, but that wasn't going to work either. Emma knew Regina's taste well enough to know that she wouldn't want a massive rock on her finger. She would want something simple.

But just because she wanted a simple ring, didn't necessarily mean that she would want a simple proposal.

No. Emma would have to come up with something grand. Some sort of amazing, extraordinary way to say "I love you".

She just needed to find out how.

That was how she had ended up here in the first place. In front of the computer. Googling "amazing ways to propose to your girlfriend". And she currently found herself so very pathetic. Normally she wasn't lacking ideas about how to do _anything_ , but right now, her mind was completely blank. Not very helpful.

 _Oh god, I feel so silly_.

,,What do you think, little bird?" she asked Veronica who was currently placed in her bouncer on the table so Emma could watch her. ,,How do _you_ think your mother would like to be proposed to?"

,,Guhh," Veronica said. Quite unhelpful.

,,Do you think she even _wants_ to get married?" Emma continued. ,,That could really make for an awkward situation."

It really could. The horror if Regina didn't want to get married and said no instead of yes. That would be terrible. And one hell of a miscalculation on Emma's behalf.

,,How the hell do I do this, Ronica?" Emma muttered quietly. Not that she even had to be quiet. Regina wasn't at home. She was out shopping and walking Lady at the same time.

All very domestic. They lived together, they had a freaking _dog_ together, and a newly adopted daughter. Proposing would only make it even more official.

Emma scrolled through the computer and snorted a little at some of the suggestions she came across. There really was some quite "colorful" suggestions amongst the ordinary.

But sadly, all of them were terribly cliché. And if Emma couldn't take it seriously, Regina sure as hell wouldn't be able to either.

 _Hmm_. This was getting difficult. One suggestion was grander than the other, but terribly tricky to actually do in real life. Unless she used magic. She _could_ do that though. Use magic to come up with some magical proposal.

But that included to actually study it. And she couldn't do that. And her magic-teacher also happened to be the one she wanted to propose to.

Damn it.

,,Bahh," Veronica babbled from her bouncer.

,,Yeah, I couldn't agree more, kid." Emma nodded. _Bahh indeed_.

Maybe there wasn't a way that was magical enough for Regina. Maybe that was it. Regina was obviously special, so maybe there wasn't a proposal that was good enough for her. And she damn well deserved the very best.

Emma continued to scroll through all the amazing stories about how people had proposed to their significant other. If not very helpful, at least it was entertaining to read.

That included the story about the guy who had proposed to his girlfriend mid bungee jump. _Well, that would definitely be memorable_.

But not very romantic that was. Not that Regina was a huge romantic herself. She found any kind of romantic gestures a bit silly, and the one time Emma brought her flowers, she was sure that the blonde was coming down with some sort of illness. And afterwards she had laughed and told Emma that she was "very sweet." So no, definitely not a romantic. And Emma actually found that a little sad. It was almost like life had _forced_ Regina to give up on being romantic and stick to being practical instead.

 _To hell with being practical._ Regina deserved all the romance she could get, and that included a romantic proposal.

But the perfect, romantic proposal didn't exist.

At least not on the internet.

 _Now what_?

Emma decided to drop planning the proposal for a little while. After all, there was something a bit more important she needed to find first. Something that was almost as difficult as the "perfect proposal".

An engagement ring.

It had to be simple but not boring. Beautiful but not too flashy. _And where the hell do you find such a ring_?

Sure, the internet was huge, but this question was bigger than the internet. Maybe the perfect engagement didn't exist either.

Emma was getting a little frustrated as she looked at image after image of engagement rings.

,,Hmm, hmm,"

Emma yelped and nearly fell out of the chair. Veronica squealed in surprise.

The blonde quickly slammed the laptop shut and turned around, ready to deny everything to whoever was standing right behind her.

But sadly, she couldn't deny anything to the person who was standing behind her. he was too smart and would look right through her as he always did.

,,God, you scared me, kid," Emma scowled.

,,Sorry, ma," Henry grinned. ,,But I _did_ knock. Twice."

,,Oh. I didn't hear that."

,,No, you looked like you were busy," Henry teased and lifted Veronica out of the bouncer. The little girl squealed again, but this time it was out of pure joy at the sight of her brother.

,,Hey kiddo," Henry said softly. ,,Who's the prettiest sister in all the realms?"

Veronica giggled.

,,So, have you asked her yet?" Henry asked nonchalantly and bounced Veronica up and down.

,,Asked who?" Emma replied, still recovering from the shock. For a second she was sure it was Regina who had snuck up on her.

,,Mom."

,,About what?" Emma said innocently.

Henry rolled his eyes. ,,Mom, you are googling engagement rings. I don't think you can lie your way out of this."

,,You're right, I can't," Emma deflated. ,,And no, I haven't. I have no idea _how_."

,,Oh." Henry chuckled and tickled Veronica's chubby cheek.

,,Stop laughing at me, kid."

,,Sorry," Henry said and muffled another chuckle. ,,Have you tried the old fashioned way?"

,,The old fashioned way?"

,,You know," Henry smiled widely. ,,Down on one knee and making a little speech?"

,,Yeah, that's not gonna work," Emma said. ,,Your mother would most likely laugh her head off if I got down on one knee."

,,Or maybe she would find it to be incredibly romantic," Henry snorted.

,,I don't think even _you_ believe that, kid."

,,Why not," Henry shrugged. ,,Mom's unpredictable. She might just like the old-fashioned way."

,,I'm still voting that she would laugh hysterically at me," Emma muttered.

,,Ella didn't," Henry said and shifted Veronica in his arms. ,,And she is pretty tough. But when I proposed to her, she actually managed to look a bit teary eyed."

,,Good for her," Emma said. She really couldn't imagine Regina to get teary eyed over a proposal. In fact, she had only seen Regina close to tears once. And those hadn't been happy tears. It had been in Seattle. Right after Emma had kissed her, and Regina had broken the kiss, saying that they couldn't do that. She had been close to tears on that occasion, and the thought of that still filled Emma's mouth with a nasty taste.

,,Wow, you are really freaked out about this, aren't you?" Henry asked and raised an eyebrow.

,,A little," Emma admitted. ,,I really want to do this the right way, kid. But I'm afraid I'll muck it up."

,,You _do_ know she loves you, right?" Henry stated matter of factly.

,,Yeah, sure. What's your point?"

,,That she will say yes no matter how clumsily you pop the question to her," Henry said and grinned broadly.

,,That's not an excuse to not do it properly," Emma muttered, and Henry bursted out laughing:

,,You totally sound like her right now!"

Emma ignored that. ,,Plus, I want this to be perfect. Not clumsy!"

She must be sounding just as desperate as she feels, because Henry ceased the teasing and said: ,,Alright. I'll help you come up with something."

,,You'll help me think of an extraordinary way to propose to your mom?" Emma said, grinning a little at the absurdity.

,,Sure. We'll call it "Operation Clueless"."

,,Hey, I am _not_ clueless!" Emma protested.

,,Sure, mom."

Henry ended up staying for a good while, and he actually had some pretty good ideas. They are still discussing the perfect ring when the door opens.

,,I'm just saying that she probably wouldn't appreciate some flashy.. hey!" Emma interrupted herself when Regina and Lady came into the kitchen.

,,Hi," Regina said and raised an eyebrow at the squeakiness in Emma's voice. ,,Everything okay?"

,,Yes, absolutely," Emma lied and flashed her a toothy grin.

,,Alright," Regina said and unleashed Lady. It was obvious that the brunette didn't believe Emma one bit, and Henry send his blonde mother a "you have to lie better than that"-look.

Emma nodded vaguely. She would definitely have to brush up on her lying skills.

,,Do you need some help with those?" Henry offered and gestured towards the grocery bags in Regina's hands.

,,No it's alright. I've got it."

,,Let me," Henry insisted. ,,I think Veronica wants her mom anyway."

And Veronica was indeed wiggling in his arms. It was obvious that the little girl wanted Regina.

Regina quickly switched the grocery bags for Veronica and kissed her daughters cheek and whispered nonsense to her.

,,I think she missed you," Emma observed and smiled widely. Seeing Regina with their daughter was still completely breathtaking.

,,She did. Did _you_?" Regina asked without teasing much.

,,Duh." Emma said plainly.

,,Good. Happy to hear that," Regina laughed and squeezed Emma's shoulder.

Emma quickly put her hand over Regina's to keep her there for a bit longer.

 _Damn, I want to spend the rest of my life with her_. _I want her last name to be "Swan-Mills". I want to marry her so badly_.

,,Can I have my hand back now?" Regina asked. ,,I can't stay here all the time."

,,Why not?"

Veronica whimpered and squirmed in Regina's arms.

,,Because our daughter is hungry. Do you want her to starve, dear?"

,,Definitely not." Emma said and reluctantly let go of Regina's hand.

Regina quickly made a bottle for Veronica and was about to give it to her when Henry spoke up:

,,Can I feed her?" he asked.

,,You can," Regina laughed and placed Veronica in his arms.

And Henry was a natural at feeding his little sister. Veronica immediately took the bottle and drank while Henry babbled nonsense to her.

Emma smiled at the sight. Their grownup son feeding his baby sister. _If this isn't family, then I don't know what is_.

Regina seemed very pleased too, and she flashed Emma a smile. It was obvious that sight of Veronica and Henry melted her heart all over again.

,,Can Lucy "borrow" Veronica sometimes next week?" Henry asked and wiped Veronica's chin where a bit of milk was trickling down.

,,Of course she can," Regina said.

,,But not too long," Emma added.

Regina mock scowled at that, but Henry laughed. ,,No, it's pretty tough to be away from her, isn't it?"

,,It is," Emma confirmed. Veronica had bewitched her from day one, and it was only getting "worse". Any moment spent away from her seemed wasted, and Emma couldn't see the point in being away from her.

,,Are you and Ella and Lucy coming to Snow and David's anniversary?" Regina inquired as Henry put the bottle away and adjusted Veronica, so her little head was resting on his shoulder instead.

,,Yeah, definitely. We wouldn't want to miss that," Henry grinned. ,,But we're struggling to come up with something to give them."

,,So are we," Emma groaned.

Regina held her hands up. ,,They are _your_ parents, dear. Therefore, you know them better than I do."

,,Bullshit," Emma protested. ,,You've known them longer than I have."

,,And my primary interest was to kill them, not buy them presents," Regina said completely flatly.

Veronica let out a squeal that was similar to a laugh.

,,Mmm," Regina nodded, agreeing with the baby. ,,Mommy was a bit dumb back then."

Henry chuckled and gave Regina's shoulder a little squeeze.

,,I'm sure we'll come up with something," Regina said to Emma. ,,Something that screams "blissful marriage"."

 _Blissful marriage. That sounds good. We should try that. We totally should._

 _ **To Be Continued?**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 3:**

,,You are dawdling, dear."

Emma is instantly pulled out of her thoughts by Regina's voice. The brunette is already dressed and done up in a red dress and with her hair hanging in loose curls.

,,We're supposed to at your parents' house in five minutes and you're not dressed yet," Regina softly pointed out. ,,What's on your mind, miss Swan?"

,,Nothing," Emma said and took Regina's hand. But the truth was, that she had been thinking about "Operation Clueless" again.

Regina raised an eyebrow. ,,Are you sure?"

,,Absolutely. You look amazing by the way."

Regina made a little noise in the back of her throat and smiled. ,,And if you don't change into something a bit more formal, we're gonna be late. By the way."

,,Alright, alright. I'm changing right now," Emma said and went over to the closet to find something formal to wear.

A dissatisfied cry from the nursery made Regina spin around on her heel. ,,I'll get Veronica. You get dressed. Two minutes, miss Swan."

,,Yes ma'am."

Regina made a grimace at her.

Emma sighed a little as she pulled her t-shirt over her head and dropped her jeans to the floor. She hadn't yet found the perfect moment to "pop the question" to Regina. It was like the perfect moment never came. And she was also afraid of her own big mouth. Meaning that she was afraid that the question would just slip out of her at the complete wrong moment. That would be absolutely horrible. That couldn't ever happen. She always had to be cautious no matter what.

Especially when Regina laughed, and her eyes sparkled. Those were the "worst" moments. The moments where Emma found it terrible difficult to not say "marry me" just like that.

But at least she had- well, not exactly a plan- she still had absolutely no idea _how_ and _when_ to propose, but next week she would stop by Gold's Pawnshop and try to find a ring. So far so good.

Emma once again snapped out of it and quickly found the dress she had planned on wearing for her parents anniversary-party. It wasn't a ridiculously complicated dress. Just a plain, purple one with little cap sleeves, but Emma found that she looked alright. Especially when she added a little mascara and pale lipstick.

She brushed her hair and decided to just let it flow freely instead of putting it up in a bun. It was more comfortable to let it hang loose.

Realizing that they were in fact running a little late, Emma quickly slipped on a pair of not-very-tall heels and left the bedroom.

Regina wasn't in the living room or the kitchen. Hmm. Maybe she had already taken Veronica to the car. Or maybe she had grown tired of Emma's "dawdling" and had already left.

,,Beautiful."

Emma squeaked in surprise and spun around. Regina was nonchalantly leaning against the doorframe with Veronica on her hip.

,,Don't sneak up on me like that."

,, _Absolutely_ beautiful."

Emma bit her lip and her gaze dropped to the floor. She had never been very good at receiving compliments, and the ones that came from Regina were the hardest to handle. The brunette always sounded so sincere.

,,Gahh," Veronica babbled, and Regina lifted the baby so they were eye level.

,,What do you say, little bird? Isn't mummy beautiful?"

,,Daaah," Veronica cooed.

,,Mmm, absolutely beautiful," Regina nodded and chuckled.

,,Stop it," Emma pleaded. ,,You are embarrassing me."

,,What's the matter, miss Swan? Can't handle the truth?" Regina teased.

,,Enough. I see Veronica dressed up for the occasion too," Emma said in an attempt to turn the focus elsewhere. Veronica looked mighty cute in a little blue dress sprinkled with polka dots and a matching hairband.

,,Well, it _is_ a special occasion, isn't it?" Regina said gently as she adjusted Veronica's hairband.

,,That hairband is only gonna last for five minutes," Emma predicted.

,,I know."

,,When is she old enough to wear a leatherjacket?"

,,Never. My daughter is _not_ gonna wear a leatherjacket."

,,She's my daughter too."

,,She's still not going to wear a leatherjacket," Regina said firmly.

,,Why not? _You_ wore a leatherjacket in Hyperion Heights," Emma reminded her with a grin.

,,You can't just use Roni as an argument, miss Swan," Regina huffed, but her eyes sparkled in that way they always did when they were having a friendly banter.

Emma snatched Veronica from Regina's arms. ,,When you're a bit older, mummy is gonna buy you a leatherjacket, little bird."

,,Moron." Regina said flatly as she bent down to pet Lady and say goodbye to her.

Emma laughed all the way out to the car.

It was a short drive to David and Mary Margaret's house, but they ended up being a little late anyway.

Emma balanced Veronica on her hip as she struggled with retrieving the stroller from the back of the car. It was difficult, but the stroller was necessary. Veronica would need a place to take a nap in a couple of hours.

,,Did we remember everything?" Regina asked.

,,Uh.." Emma quickly checked the bag they brought with them. Bottle. Formula. Diapers. Blankets. Clean clothes.

,,Yep," the blonde said. ,,Looks like it."

,,Now there's a first," Regina quipped. ,,Here. Let me." She freed Emma from the bag, so the blonde could concentrate on carrying their daughter.

They walked up the steps to the porch and Regina knocked on the door. Emma heard voices from inside the house, and they hadn't waited a minute before the door was opened by a smiling David.

,,There you are," the prince said. ,,Come in."

Regina and Emma went inside, and the blonde could see that her father was dying to do one thing.

Emma laughed. She knew exactly what David wanted right now, and after sharing a quick look with Regina, Emma handed him Veronica.

,,There she is," David cooed and tickled Veronica's cheek. ,,There's my beautiful girl."

,,Ahem," Emma said mockingly and waved her hand in front of her father's face.

,,Both of my beautiful girls," David quickly corrected himself and laughed as he pulled Emma in for a quick hug.

Emma chuckled as she returned the hug.

,,Can I hug you too?" David sniggered to Regina.

,,You could, but that would probably be the last thing you ever did," Regina deadpanned.

But he took the risk and did it anyway. And Regina looked quite calm and a bit overbearing as she willingly returned the hug.

,,Come little bird," David babbled to Veronica. ,,Let's find your grandmother."

,,Is Henry here?" Emma asked as David led them into the living room.

,,Mhmm. Him and Ella and Lucy came right before you guys," the prince nodded.

And as Lucy sprinted over to Regina and hugged her, Emma watched Snow practically rip Veronica out of her husband grasp and fawn over the baby. Emma grinned as she heard Snow babble something very "grandmother-like" to Veronica. That kid had her grandparents in a rock-solid grasp. And anybody else for that matter.

Five seconds later, Regina was "kidnapped" by Lucy, who pulled her grandmother with her over to Ella where all three of them began talking.

,,Hi, ma."

Emma turned around and returned Henry's grin. ,,Hey kid."

,,You look pretty."

,,Not you too," Emma moaned. ,,I can't handle anymore compliments. My ego's getting overinflated."

,,Who else have given you compliments?" the young man grinned. ,,Mom?"

,,Maybe," Emma drawled and laughed. ,,How are things going with you?"

,,Couldn't be better," Henry said and looked very lovingly at Ella who was still engaged in a conversation with Regina.

Emma sniggered and was just about to inform her son that he had "puppy dog eyes" but Henry completely changed the subject on her and asked:

,,How are things going with _you_?"

,,Fine," Emma shrugged.

,,And what about.. you know..."

,,What?"

Henry looked around to check that no one was watching, and he lowered his voice: ,,Operation Clueless."

,,Uh.." Emma swallowed. Maybe it had been a mistake to let Henry in on it. He had texted her on more than one occasion, asking about "Operation Clueless".

,,I'm working on it," she told her son.

But said son didn't look one bit convinced. ,,As in "I've been thinking a lot about it, but I haven't actually _done_ anything about it yet"?

,, _No_ " Emma protested. ,,I'm gonna buy her a ring, okay?"

,,When?"

,,Next week. I'm gonna stop by Gold's shop and see if I can find something suitable."

,,Progress," Henry grinned. ,,That's great."

,,Yeah." _Do you also happen to know how and when I should propose to her, kid_?

,,What progress?" Zelena casually interrupted their conversation as she strode over to them.

,,Uh, nothing," Emma quickly lied. ,,Hey Zelena."

,,My sister looks happy," Zelena observed as they both watched Regina laugh with Ella over some unknown joke.

,,Yeah. She does," Emma agreed.

,,Keep that up," Zelena said plainly and gave Emma a quick pat on the shoulder. Then the redhead went over to Regina and Ella and joined in their conversation.

,,She does you know," Henry said.

,,What?"

,,Look happy." He smiled. ,,I don't think I've seen her look this happy in a while. If ever."

Emma felt her heart swell with pride at that. To think that _she_ was the reason to Regina's happiness. That was still a bit hard to contain after everything that had happened.

,,Oops, excuse me, Henry."

Emma turned around at the sound of her mother's voice. Snow was still holding on to Veronica, but the baby didn't look very chuffed anymore.

,,I think someone misses her mummy," Snow observed.

,,Ohh, come here, honey," Emma cooed and took Veronica from Mary Margaret's arms. Veronica wiggled and cooed, clearly dissatisfied.

Emma did her best to calm the baby and kissed her cheek and talked softly to her. It usually worked, and thus, also today. The baby was still alert and watched the people around her, but she wasn't whimpering anymore. That was a comfort.

,,That's better," Snow smiled.

,,I think she's getting tired," Emma predicted. She recognized all the little signs in Veronica's behavior. The "wiggliness", the squirming, and the cranky attitude.

,,Time for a nap?" Snow suggested.

,,Yeah, I think so," Emma replied and gestured with her hand to get Regina's attention. She was way better to make Veronica fall asleep quickly. Emma _was_ able to, but she wasn't very good at it. Feeding her was more Emma's forte.

Regina quickly appeared by Emma's side. ,,Problems?"

,,I think someone is getting tired," Emma explained and tried her best to hold on to the wiggling Veronica.

,,You appear to be right," Regina nodded and took Veronica from Emma's arms. ,,Come, little bird. Let's get you to dreamland."

,,Can I go with you?" Lucy asked as she came over to them. Like everybody else, the young girl was drawn to Veronica.

,,Of course you can," Regina smiled and put a hand on her granddaughters shoulder.

,,Lay her down in the bedroom. It's too chilly in the hall," Snow interjected.

Regina flashed her a thank you smile and then took off with Lucy trailing behind her.

Emma watched the brunette walk away, and once again her heart felt completely mushy. Apparently, that was all it took. Leave it to Regina Mills to make the Savior weak in the knees.

 _Marry me_.

,,Emma?" You alright?" Snow asked and frowned.

,,Yeah. Of course I am," Emma said and prayed that her mother hadn't noticed the distant look on her face.

No such luck.

,,You sure? You looked a bit... out of it."

,,I'm fine mom. Really."

Snow didn't look convinced, and it didn't help the matter that Henry looked like he could burst out laughing any moment. But luckily, he didn't get the chance to, because David clapped his hands to get everybody's attention.

,,I think the dinner is ready, so if you could take a seat."

Emma gratefully followed everybody into the dining room. The last thing she needed was her mother to find out about the proposal before Regina did.

 **To Be Continued?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 4:**

Talking about finding the perfect ring was one thing.

Actually _finding_ the perfect ring was something completely else.

Emma was certain she knew Regina's taste. Nothing too flashy. Something simple but tasteful. Elegant, yet discreet.

Ha.

Gold's shop had about a million different options in rings, and Emma hadn't even set foot in the store yet. Like a pathetic fool she was still lurking outside the window. Most of the rings were on display, so they were quite easy to see from where she was standing.

Emma tilted her head as she looked inside through the window. Who knew there were _that_ many options? This was insane. There were rings with big gemstones, small gemstones, yellow gemstones, green gemstones, black gemstones, red gemstones etc. etc.

 _Fuck, this is impossible_. How was she supposed to pick one out of all these? This was a bloody maze of shiny objects.

The blonde shook her head. If only she was able to go in, point to one of the rings and take it home. The end. Oh, how easy that would have been.

But, obviously, things weren't that easy. Of course they weren't.

Plus, she had already been standing here for at least ten minutes now. It would only be a manner of time before someone noticed her weird behavior and called her out on it.

Emma swallowed something. Sooner or later she would have to go inside and face the challenge.

After doing nothing but "dawdling", Emma decided she should quit this shit and just bloody well go inside already.

But her feet didn't seem to agree with that.

,,Are you planning on stealing from my store, miss Swan?"

Emma spun around and came face to face with Mr. Gold who was standing on the porch, looking at her.

,,Uh.. No, that wasn't my intention," Emma said and grappled for an excuse as to why she was acting weird.

,,I am pleased to hear that. Then I don't have to call Miss Page and have her arrest you," Mr. Gold quipped, and then: ,,Are you here to actually _buy_ something?"

,,Yes." _I think so at least_.

,,Why don't you come inside then? Window shopping isn't the way."

So Emma was left with no choice than to follow Mr. Gold inside and face her irrational fear of the intimidating task of buying the perfect ring for Regina.

She looked around at the many rings in the different display cases. All of them were quite pretty, but none of them screamed "Regina".

,,Anything in particular you're looking for?" Mr. Gold asked and followed Emma's gaze to the rings.

,,A ring." Emma said truthfully.

,,Oh? And what's the occasion?" he asked silkily.

Emma groaned quietly. He wasn't exactly the great and terrible dark one anymore, but he could still be annoying as hell when he wanted to. And he was clearly in that mood right now. And waiting for an answer.

,,Engagement." She said shortly.

,,Congratulations dearie."

,,I haven't asked her yet," Emma half-snapped. _Wait, you don't have to tell him that. You don't have to tell him anything_.

,,Perhaps not," he scoffed. ,,But I still believe a congratulations is in order. Regina has been searching for an equal partner for quite a while now."

 _An equal partner_. It might be coming from Mr. Gold, but it still sounded bloody good to Emma.

,,As you can see, the store holds several options," Mr. Gold continued and motioned towards the display cases. ,,Do you know what you're looking for? Any style in particular?"

 _Not a clue_. _Zilch. Nada._ ,,Not really."

,,Oh. Well, take your time, dearie. I'll be in the back if you need me." And with that he excused himself and left Emma alone in the store.

This gave Emma the perfect chance to take a closer look at all the different rings. _Nothing too flashy_ , she kept reminding herself. It was tempting to go all in and buy Regina the most flashy and extreme ring she could find, but then she remembered the disgust on Regina's face when she mentioned the ridiculous large ring the king had presented her with so many years ago.

 _This is damn well going to be different_. Emma kept walking around in the store, trying to find the perfect ring.

That was when a particular ring caught her attention. Tucked away by all the other massive gemstones. It was absolutely perfect.

It was flashy, but not overwhelmingly. Beautiful, yet modest. And definitely not like Regina's first engagement ring.

No, this was a pretty little thing with not one, but _three_ little red gemstones.

 _One for me, one for Henry and one for Veronica_. And Emma could just _see_ that this ring would suit Regina. Like it was made for her. And knowing magic, maybe it was.

Emma trusted her taste, but just to be absolutely sure, she quickly snapped a picture of the ring and send it to Henry with the message: "This one?"

The response came within seconds: " **Perfect. But be careful. Mom mentioned something about taking a walk in town with Veronica."**

 _Thanks for the heads up, kid._ The last thing Emma wanted was to have the surprise spoiled before she had the chance to actually ask Regina anything.

Emma quickly pressed the little bell, and Mr. Gold came back into the store.

,,I take it you found something suitable, dearie?"

,,This one," Emma said shortly and pointed to the chosen ring.

,,An excellent choice," he said and took the ring out of the display case. Emma watched as he placed it in a little box.

,,Thanks. How much?"

,,On the house," said Mr. Gold. ,,It's about time I invest in Regina's happiness instead of her misery."

It was probably meant as kindness, but his words still awoke the protective gene in Emma. ,,Wait, this ring isn't infused with dark magic or cursed or something crazy, right?"

,,No." the dark one said, and for once, Emma chose to believe him.

So she thanked him again, took the ring and stuffed it securely in her pocket and left Gold's pawnshop.

 _Well, that was easier than I imagined_. She had expected this to take hours and not minutes. She was so busy looking for the perfect ring, that she almost missed the real deal. Actually, a bit like Regina. She had also been right there in front of Emma this whole time. Quite symbolic.

Emma felt a bit euphoric as she headed back home through town. She had actually done it. She had found the perfect ring. _So far so good_.

 _Now I just need to actually pop the question._ The thought of that made Emma's heart speed up to the point where it was getting a little uncomfortable.

 _One thing at the time, Swan_.

She had bought the ring. That would definitely count as what Henry referred to as "progress", right?

Very appropriately, her phone buzzed, and Emma stopped to read the newly arrived text from Henry:

" **Did you buy it?** "

" _Damn right I did, kid. Do you think she'll like it?_ "

" **No.** "

" _What?! What do you mean by "no"?_ "

" **I think she'll love it**."

Emma's heart immediately slowed down.

" _Oh, very funny. You almost gave me a heart attack_!"

" **Sorry. I was just teasing**."

" _Well, don't. I'm nervous enough as it is already_."

" **Friendly reminder that she would say yes if you bought her a plastic ring**."

" _Friendly reminder that you're a smartass_."

" **A trait I inherited from you**."

 _Oh, that little_ … The amount of teasing she had received via text from Henry ever since he found out that she was planning on proposing to Regina. He was careful not to say anything in front of his other mother, but when he and Emma were alone, he kept throwing hints and casually mentioned how and where she could propose. Some days Emma wished that she hadn't told him, but then again, when he wasn't teasing her, he was a great support. And totally excited for her. Once again, the little boy who believed in fairy tales and "happily ever after".

,,Shit." Emma was brought back to reality by an all too familiar figure walking towards her. The blonde quickly stepped into an alley to avoid being caught red handed by Regina who was walking towards her, pushing the stroller.

Emma almost held her breath when Regina passed her. But for some strange reason, she didn't see her, and Emma could breathe normal again.

 _That was fucking close_. Too close. Not interested in challenging fate, Emma quickly left the alley and doubled back home to the mansion with the ring safely tucked away in her pocket.

Luck was on her side today, and she reached the mansion without any complications. Lady barked and wagged her tail at the sight of Emma, and the blonde quickly bent down to pet her.

,,Hey there, Ladybug. Why didn't Regina take you with her today, hmm? Did she leave you all alone here? Poor little thing."

Emma gushed over the cocker spaniel who immediately rolled onto her back, demanding tummy rubs. A demand, Emma was more than happy to oblige.

,,Do you think there will be dogs allowed at the wedding?" she said quietly as she rubbed Lady's stomach. The dog yapped, and the next minute Emma started giggling to herself. The thought of a dog at a wedding ceremony was ridiculous, even for Storybrooke.

The mansion was awfully quiet without Regina and Veronica. Of course, Lady was there, but it wasn't quite the same. Emma silently scolded herself. Regina had only been gone for about what, 10 minutes? 20? And here she was. Already missing her. maybe she was developing separation issues or something like that. But she couldn't help it. Regina's absence always reminded her of those terrible weeks after they came from Hyperion Heights. The weeks were Regina refused to even look her in the eyes.

 _Okay, will you calm down already_? _She just went for a stroll. She's coming back, you idiot. They are both coming back_.

That was something else. Emma couldn't stand being away from Veronica for very long. Which was a bit of a problem because of her work. But it was like the mansion and Regina and Veronica were physically _pulling_ her back home. Calling her back home.

 _Addicted indeed_. _Maybe I have a problem_.

 _Or maybe I've just found the place where I belong._

Her ridiculously sentimental thoughts were interrupted by happy babbling. And Regina's voice. She was home.

,,Hey," Emma said and grinned goofily at the sight of the brunette.

,,Hey yourself," Regina greeted and chuckled a little.

,,Where's Ronica?"

,,I left the stroller on the porch. She's fast asleep."

Emma stretched her neck to look out of the window. The stroller was indeed standing on the porch.

,,Isn't that dangerous for her? won't she get cold or something?"

,,She's nicely wrapped up. She'll be fine." Regina said. ,,Where have _you_ been?"

,,I had to pop into the station. Lily managed to set the paperwork on fire." Emma lied smoothly.

Regina shook her head. ,,She really need to learn how to control her dragon temper."

,,Did Maleficent?" Emma asked before she could stop herself. No matter how many years had passed, she would always be jealous about that particular chapter in Regina's life.

,,Well, I'm standing right here, aren't I?" Regina teased, and then: ,,Are you ever gonna let that go by the way?"

,,Nope. Can't." Emma said plainly. ,,She's blonde."

,,So you're jealous because she's blonde?" Regina asked disbelieving.

,,Yep."

,,What about all the brunette's and redheads I've been with then?" Regina teased mercilessly. ,,Aren't you jealous of _them_?"

 _Okay, that's it._ ,,Stop. Talking." Emma groaned and closed the gap between them. she was definitely gonna kiss every last memory of any brunette or redhead away.

Regina sniggered as she wrapped her arms around Emma's neck. ,,Oh, don't worry dear. None of them can match _you_."

,,You better be telling the truth," Emma murmured against Regina's neck.

,,I could never lie to you, Emma."

,,I couldn't lie to you either."

 _Well, almost…_

 **To Be Continued?...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 5:**

Emma woke with a distinct feeling that she was being watched.

And she was.

When she rolled on to her other side in the bed, she found Regina propped up on one elbow, looking at her.

,,Good morning," Emma said with a voice that still was a bit raspy from sleep.

,,Good morning." Regina replied and smiled; but she kept looking at Emma with a rather unfathomable look in her eyes.

Emma snuggled closer to the brunette, and Regina immediately took the blonde in her arms, but Emma could sense that something was on Regina's mind, so she asked:

,,What's up?" maybe not the cleverest thing to say, but she was still a bit sleepy.

Regina wrapped a lock of Emma's hair around her finger and held it for a beat before she asked: ,,You would tell me if something was wrong, right?"

 _Wait what_? ,,Where did that come from?" the blonde asked and stretched her neck to look up at Regina.

Regina shrugged, clearly she was trying to understate whatever was on her mind, but Emma could see some real concern in her eyes. ,,You have been acting a bit strange lately, so I was wondering if you feel dissatisfied or unhappy or…"

,,Stop," Emma gently cut her off. ,,Don't go there. Don't ever go there, Regina. _Nothing_ is wrong, okay? And I am _definitely not_ unhappy or dissatisfied. I am ridiculously happy. I don't think I've ever been this happy before."

Regina was still frowning, and Emma was most eager to wash that last little bit of doubt away, so she reached up and cupped Regina's cheek. ,,You and Veronica is without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to me. You guys are my home now, okay?"

That seemed to do the trick. Emma watched as Regina's face slowly relaxed and the wrinkles on her forehead were smoothed out.

,,But you _have_ been acting strange," Regina pointed out.

 _Shit, think of something fast_. ,,I've been swamped with work at the station." _Yeah, that's an acceptable excuse. Perfect_.

,,Hmm. Maybe I should give you a raise."

Emma laughed, and just like that, the mood lifted, and they steered away from the "dangerous" subject.

The engagement ring was still safely tucked away in Emma's red leather jacket. And it felt like it was weighing a ton. Of course, it didn't, it was probably just because the question was becoming more "pressing". As time passed, Emma felt like she had to bite her tongue to not simply blurt the question out and ruin the whole thing.

And then there was Henry. He kept nagging her about it, constantly texting her about the matter. He had turned into a regular "cheerleader" in the way he was rooting for them and had been doing since day one. He seemed thrilled about them being together, not quite reaction Emma had expected, but she was grateful.

The question was still _when_. When the hell was an appropriate time to say, "will you marry me?" _Was_ there even an appropriate moment?

A dissatisfied cooing followed by a rather grumpy shriek from the nursery, disrupted Emma's inner thoughts about proposals and marriages.

,,I'll get her," Regina said, already half way out of bed.

,,Nope," Emma grinned and easily made it out of the bedroom before Regina. ,, _I'll_ get her."

Regina muttered something that suspiciously sounded like "idiot".

Still chuckling, Emma went into the nursery and scooped Veronica into her arms. ,,Hi, little bird. Did you sleep alright? Hmm? Did you have a nice nap?"

Veronica immediately went from grumpy to all smiles and she cooed happily in Emma's arms.

The blonde had quite the nice little "chat" with her daughter while changing her and getting her dressed in one of her numerous dresses with ruffles.

,,I think mommy and grandma is buying way too many dresses for you," Emma commented. ,,I might have to take you shopping for beanies and leather jackets some day."

,,No leather jackets," the blonde heard Regina dismiss as she passed the nursery.

,,Why not?" Emma half shouted back. ,,If big Roni could wear them, so can mini Roni."

,,And don't call her Roni. And _kindly_ don't refer to me as "big Roni". You make me sound like some sort of _thug_."

,,Well, you _were_ pretty badass," Emma sniggered as she lifted Veronica off the changing table and carried her downstairs to join Regina.

Regina was already dressed and had set the table for them when Emma came downstairs. The delicious smell of bacon filled the room, and Emma sniffed appreciatively.

,,That smells amazing," Emma said.

,,Mm, it better _taste_ amazing too," Regina quipped as she filled Emma's plate with bacon and perfectly scrambled eggs.

,,Coffee?" the brunette offered.

,,Always."

Emma smiled as she watched Regina pour coffee in her cup. She felt so lucky to witness this side of Regina. The more "softer" and gentle side. The domestic side. It was a shame Regina never let anybody else see that side of her. But on the other hand, Emma felt incredibly privileged to be the only one who had the honor to witness this. Regina in the morning.

,,Here, let me," Regina said and gestured towards Veronica.

,,I can do it."

,,No, you eat. I'll feed her," Regina insisted, and Emma handed Veronica over.

Emma pouted a little as she watched Regina give Veronica her morning bottle. Not that she was jealous or anything, she just so happened to love giving Veronica her morning bottle. The little girl was always absolutely adorable in the morning. All sleepy and warm in her arms.

,,You have work," Regina reminded Emma when she noticed the blonde stealing glances.

,,Right." Emma grumbled. ,,I would rather stay here with you guys though."

,,We are still going to be here when you get back, miss Swan."

,,You better," Emma mock warned. But sometimes she actually feared that this was just some sort of wonderful dream, and both Regina and Veronica would be gone when she woke up.

Regina immediately looked right through her joking attitude, and adjusted Veronica in her arms to reach across the table and take Emma's hand.

Emma entwined their fingers and flashed Regina a goofy smile. ,,I have attachment issues, don't I?"

Regina shrugged. ,,Maybe you do, but I actually don't mind it."

,,No?"

,,It's nice to be wanted."

 _And god, do I want you_. _I want you forever, damn it. For the rest of my life_.

Emma found herself acting on her instincts and leaned in over the table and kissed Regina with all the passion she could muster this early.

Regina stiffened in surprise, but only for a moment. Then Emma felt the soft pressure of her lips on her own.

 _I'm pretty damn sure, kissing her will never ever be boring_. No, this would always be a constant source of thrill to Emma.

She could actually feel the shivers run down her spine, and the blonde shuddered unintentionally.

Maybe this wasn't the time for this.

Plus, Regina was still holding Veronica in her arms.

No, definitely not the time for this.

 _Shoot_.

Regina chuckled warmly. ,,Careful, miss Swan."

,, _You_ be careful," Emma retorted childishly. ,,You were the one who kissed me _like that_."

,,Like what?" Regina said innocently. ,,There are _several_ ways to kiss, you know."

,,Shut up."

,,Clever comeback," Regina slyly complimented. ,,Probably one of your best ones so fast."

,,You are a royal pain in my ass."

,,Because of my witty comebacks or because I'm such a fine kisser?"

Emma "abandoned ship" and went upstairs to get dressed. She couldn't win this banter anyway.

Being dressed and done up left her with no choice than to say "bye" and "see you later" to Regina and Veronica. Even though she didn't really want to.

Emma sulked a little when she arrived at the station and the waiting paperwork. Of course it was nice to see Lily and chat with her, but the blonde's thoughts kept slipping back to the mansion and her daughter.

,,How is the little wonder?" Lily asked as they loomed over the paperwork. They didn't drive and arrest people much any longer.

,,Wonderful," Emma grinned. ,,You should try having one yourself."

Lily scrunched her nose up. ,,I don't think so, but thanks for the suggestion."

,,Suit yourself. You are missing out."

,,And how is the big wonder?" Lily continued, thoroughly ignoring Emma's remark.

,,Are you referring to Regina?"

,,Obviously."

 _Then maybe you should say her name instead_. ,,She's fine. Better than fine."

,,Still the biggest miracle on earth?"

,,Yup. Are you reporting to your mom again or something?"

,,Maybe." Lily shrugged, but Emma's temper flared up.

,,And just what is it that she's hoping to achieve?"

,,That Regina dumps you so she can swoop in. Most likely."

,,Tell her to keep dreaming."

,,I will."

 _And tell her to back the hell off while you're at it. She had her chance and she blew it_.

They kept working until lunchtime, where Lily went over to Granny's to have her lunch. Emma politely declined the offer to come with her. She would rather stay here and get on top of this damned paperwork. That way she could finish up early and be home in time for Veronica's evening feeding. She could eat later.

Or maybe she couldn't.

Emma's head snapped up when she heard someone knock on the half-closed door.

,,Come in," she said.

,,Knock, knock," David said as he entered the station.

,,Hi dad. Come in."

,,I'm not interrupting anything?"

,,Nope. I was gonna take a break."

,,Perfect timing then," the prince grinned and handed her a bag from Granny's.

,,Are you bringing me lunch now?" Emma chuckled. That was usually Regina's "job". Well, at least before they had Veronica.

,,Yes. Have a bite to eat with your old dad," David said and found his own sandwich from a similar bag.

Emma looked at her ever young father and shook her head. He was definitely not old in any way.

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, Emma's thoughts once again slipped back to her daughter waiting at home in the mansion, and then she came to think of the ring still tucked away in her red leather jacket hanging over her chair. She should probably have stashed it somewhere safer before she left.

She looked up at David again, and it occurred to her, that she _could_ discuss the engagement-matter with him. He would be happy for her, but he would also listen to her concerns. And he could definitely keep it a secret if she asked him to.

Plus, he had actually tried to propose before. And he wasn't her son.

,,Hey dad?"

,,Yes?"

,,Can I ask you something?"

,,Sure, honey," David said and put the sandwich down. ,,Anything."

,,I…" Emma considered how to approach the subject. Maybe telling him was a bad idea after all. She wasn't interested in half of town knowing it before Regina.

But David was still looking at her, patiently and curiously, and clearly waiting for an answer, so Emma decided to just dive into it.

,,How did you propose to mom?" she had been told the story behind their love about a million times already, but never how he proposed exactly. And that was what she was interested in knowing. Maybe she could "steal" a page from her parents' story.

,,That was a very specific question, Emma." David half-chuckled. ,,Any particular reason?"

,,Yeah, I… I was actually considering making things official."

,,Considering?"

,,I've bought her a ring," Emma admitted and ducked her head a little.

David's expression immediately went from teasing to fatherly and proud. ,,I am so happy to hear that, Emma. And Snow is gonna be thrilled."

,,I know," Emma rolled her eyes a little. ,,Do you think she'll say yes? Regina, I mean?"

,,She better."

,,Dad!"

,,I'm kidding," the prince held his hands up in mock surrender. ,,But yes, I think she will say yes, Emma. It's pretty obvious how she feels about you."

Emma grinned. ,,So, how did you propose to mom? Spill it."

,,Well," David started and pressed his hands together. ,,I proposed right after I woke her from the sleeping curse. I had searched after her for so long, and finally having her by my side… Well, the moment was just right."

 _The moment was just right_. That stupid, "perfect" moment again. ,,How do you when the time is right?" Emma blurted out. ,,How do you _find_ the perfect moment?"

,,You don't," David said plainly. ,,The perfect moment finds _you_. You feel it. It doesn't even have to be a fairytale, perfect moment with unicorns roaming in the sky, as long as the moment feels perfect to _you_."

,,And if I want Regina to have the perfect, unicorn-y, fairytale proposal?" Emma muttered.

,,Then you're in trouble," David sniggered. ,,There's no unicorns in Storybrooke."

,,Hilarious."

David grew serious again and patted Emma's shoulder. ,,The most important thing is, to not stress about it or think too much about it. Let it happen spontaneously."

,,So "stop chasing the perfect moment, let it come to you" and "don't stress", That's it?"

,,That's it." David confirmed with a smile.

 _Right. Totally easy. piece of cake. Of course I can do this. Don't stress. Yeah, right._

,,Thanks, dad."

 **To Be Continued?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 8:**

,,This is nice," Regina said and flashed Emma a warm smile.

And Emma completely agreed with that. This _was_ rather nice. More than nice. Perfect. There. That was the word she was looking for. _Perfect_. So fucking perfect.

The weather had gradually become better and better, and today was as perfect as could be.

A clear, blue sky with a few, fluffy white clouds. A mild breeze blowing through her hair now and then.

,,We should go on picnics more often," Emma said and returned the smile.

Regina took a sip of her champagne and squeezed Emma's hand.

 _Champagne_. Not that they were celebrating anything in particular, but Regina had insisted that one couldn't bring wine on a picnic, so champagne it was.

Emma lifted her own glass and took a small sip. No, this wasn't a celebration, but it very well _could_ be. This moment was rather perfect. Almost idyllic.

 _What if I proposed to her right here_? She _had_ brought the engagement ring with her. Technically, she could do it right here if she wanted to. There was no one in the park. No one to ruin the moment.

But there was still one little detail. She didn't know what to say exactly. She didn't have a speech prepared, and she would prefer to know exactly what to say instead of doing this the fumbling way.

Emma felt how her boldness seeped away faster than the champagne in her glass.

But Regina didn't seem to notice anything. She emptied her glass and leaned back on the blanket. She had traded her "sensible" blouse and pencil skirt for a light, flowy blue dress, and her hair, free of any products, was flowing in curls around her face. Emma found that she looked ridiculously beautiful. She always did, but there was something different about her today. She looked positively radiant. So peaceful.

 _Maybe proposing to her right now wouldn't be such a bad idea after all_.

Her musings were interrupted by a soft cooing from the pram. Regina craned her neck like she was about to stand up and see what the cooing meant.

,,I'll check on her," Emma said and placed a hand on Regina's knee to make her stay. ,,You are far too comfortable there."

Regina chuckled at that and leaned back once more.

Emma quickly hopped off the blanket and went over to the pram, placed in the shadow under a tree. Veronica was still sound asleep. Just dreaming, it would seem.

,,What are you dreaming about, honey?" Emma asked softly. What she wouldn't give to know Veronica's dreams.

The little girl didn't provide her with much answer. She had kicked the covers off in her sleep, exactly like Regina, so Emma gently tugged her in once more. That didn't faze Veronica either. The little cooed again and flapped her hands in her sleep.

Emma chuckled quietly and turned around to look at Regina. The brunette looked equally as comfortable as their little one as she was lying on the blanket, dark hair spread out behind her and closed eyes. Was she sleeping, or simply relaxing?

Either way... _god, she's beautiful_ , Emma thought to herself. Regina's beauty would never cease to amaze her. Nor would the fact that they were together now.

Emma went back to their little spot and sat down on the blanket once more. Regina didn't move. In fact, she was taking up quite a bit of space. Emma only had about an inch of blanket to sit on.

They didn't bring two blankets, just the one, and Emma would have to find _some_ way to wake her "sleeping beauty". And to be honest, there was only _one_ way to wake Regina. Only one proper way.

Emma smiled a little to herself as she leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Regina's lips.

The brunette muttered something, and then Emma felt her respond to the kiss.

They were alone. Undisturbed. Regina was already laying down. It would be an absolute _sin_ not to take advantage of that. Emma cupped her face and in one swift move she was on top of her.

Regina opened her eyes and mock-frowned up at the blonde. ,,I really don't think this is appropriate, miss Swan."

,,I don't care," Emma said plainly and kissed Regina again.

And obviously, Regina didn't care either. She returned the kiss and her thumb brushed over Emma's cheek. Her other hand disappeared into blonde locks and tugged lightly.

 _Mmm, this is heaven_. _Absolute heaven_.

,,I love you," Regina said spontaneously, and that made Emma stop for a second. Usually she was the one who blurted out love declarations at random moments.

,,I love you too," she beamed, now completely goofy over Regina's momentarily sentimental moment.

,,I know." Regina almost scoffed, sentimental moment clearly over, and then a bit more demanding: ,,Kiss me again."

 _Gladly_. Emma dipped down and kissed the brunette's lips again. Regina slung one arm around her waist and used her other hand to comb through Emma's hair once more.

 _Oh, what was that, Madam Mayor_? Emma was sure she just heard Regina moan softly and shudder. In a public park. Tsk, tsk.

But there was no way she would call Regina out on how her body acted and responded right now. She was far too comfortable, and Regina would most likely shove her away if she said anything.

So Emma cleverly kept her thoughts to herself and relished in their kisses. She would be against kissing Regina like this until sundown.

 _My, my, someone is feeling better and better_. Emma felt how Regina's legs wrapped around hers and squeezed them a little bit. And Emma loved it. Loved how easy Regina was to rile up. Not exactly what she had expected of the calm Madam Mayor, but she definitely wasn't complaining.

Emma shifted slightly to lie a bit more comfortably on top of Regina, and she felt how the brunette pressed a warm hand to the back of her leg. Emma sniggered. Was she getting a little handsy?

Definitely. Regina's finger skimmed up and down the back of Emma's leg, while her other hand travelled upwards.

 _Groping me in a public place_? _Cheeky you_.

But again, Emma wasn't complaining. How could she, when Paradise was a place on earth and time seemed to stop completely?

Regina's hands abandoned their previous spot, and she wrapped her arms tightly around Emma once more as they kissed. Her heel rubbed up and down Emma's leg, and Emma had to remind herself where they were in order not to rid Regina of that silly dress and "finish the job" right there and then.

It was a mere coincidence, that Emma had to come up for air when she had to. The blonde immediately picked up on the distant sound of laughter. Somebody was definitely approaching.

,,Damn it," Regina cursed underneath her.

,,Yeah." Emma groaned as she reluctantly rolled off the brunette. Both of them still gasping for air. Regina quickly smoothened her hair and brushed over her dress.

,,How do I look?" she asked.

,,Like you just kissed for ten minutes straight," Emma laughed. Regina looked delightfully ruffled, all pink cheeked and unruly hair.

,,You're a fine one to talk," Regina smirked and brushed a curl behind Emma's ear.

Emma laughed again and rolled onto her stomach instead. Regina did the same. This was a fairly normal position for two people on a picnic. Now they were just lying on a blanket, relaxing.

And holding hands, it would seem. Regina lazily entwined their fingers and flashed Emma a smile.

The blonde returned Regina's smile and squeezed her fingers slightly. She was happy to see Regina this relaxed, this "unguarded" and completely fine with being seen holding Emma's hand in public.

More laughter coming their way, followed by a: ,,Neal, slow down!"

Emma chuckled lightly. Apparently, her parents had gotten the same idea.

,,I'm grateful for your good hearing," Regina muttered as Neal and David emerged followed closely by Snow. Neal was kicking a football, and the teenager smirked as his father failed to hit the ball.

,,Hey, slow down you two, I can't keep up," Snow complained and held her hands up in defeat as David and Neal, oblivious to her complains, continued to run around, kicking the ball between them.

,,Who's gonna teach Ronica to play football, you or me?" Emma teased and squeezed Regina's hand.

,,I think that one is on you, dear." Regina answered, completely unbothered by Emma's teasing.

,,Can you?"

,,Can I what?"

,,Play football," Emma grinned. ,,Can you actually play football?"

Regina's mouth curved up in a little teasing smile. ,,Where do you think Henry has his skills from?"

,,I assumed dad taught him at some point," Emma replied a little stunned. She couldn't quite picture Regina play football.

,,Not a chance," Regina drawled. ,,That was all me."

,,Huh." Emma wasn't sure she believed the brunette completely. Her dark eyes were a little too wide and innocent.

,,You don't believe me?" Regina challenged and read Emma's mind completely.

,,Not really," the blonde admitted and shrugged.

,,Shame on you," Regina said and surprised Emma by brushing a light kiss to her lips.

 _That was surprising_. Emma quickly looked out of the corner of her eye. Her parents seemed occupied with Neal. It should be safe to kiss a little.

And so Emma did. She gently cupped Regina's cheek once more, and Regina put her hands over Emma's as they kissed each other.

 _Damn_ , _I really can't enough of this_.

She really couldn't; she wanted to never stop. To kiss Regina forever. That seemed like a fairly pleasurable way to spend the rest of her life.

,,Hrm, hrm.."

Emma reluctantly pulled away from Regina and looked up to see her teenage brother standing close to them, football tucked under his arm and jokingly scowling at them.

And what's more, both David and Snow quickly looked away, clearly trying to hide the fact that they had been watching the couple.

,,Great," Emma muttered. Her parents were _everywhere_ these days.

,,Oops," Regina said, not sounding very bothered.

,,Neal, leave them alone," David laughed and waggled an eyebrow at his daughter.

 _Wonderful. Thanks dad._

But Regina seemed awfully calm about the matter and poured herself another glass of champagne, delicately taking a sip and ignored their audience.

And thankfully, Veronica chose this moment to voicing how dissatisfied she was with lying alone in the pram.

Regina quickly got on her feet and brought the baby over to them on the blanket.

,,Are you unhappy, sweetheart?" Emma asked the baby in a sing-song voice.

But Veronica didn't seem very unhappy. Not anymore at least. She babbled as Regina nuzzled her into her chest.

Emma smiled and unlaced Veronica's bonnet to tickle the back of her neck. The baby squealed at that.

,,Enjoy the moment, dear," Regina advised her.

,,Uh.. I was planning to," Emma frowned. ,,But why specifically?"

,,Because in ten seconds, your mother can't resist our adorable daughter," Regina predicted.

,,Oh." Emma chuckled.

And Regina was indeed right about that. After watching Neal and David playing football for a while, Snow came over to them, asking if she could sit down. And Regina sweetly said, yes, of course, she was more than welcome to join them. Veronica changed hands, and Snow immediately gushed over her granddaughter. Exactly like Regina had predicted.

Emma smiled as she watched her mother and Regina chat away. This was definitely a good day. Even if she hadn't gotten around to propose yet. But she would work on it. She would definitely work on it.

 **To Be Continued?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 7:**

" **How is Operation Clueless coming along**?"

Emma groaned quietly as she read the text from Henry. She knew that her son wouldn't be satisfied with the answer.

Quite right. Two seconds after she had send him her answer, her phone lit up with a long, scolding message from him, telling her to "man up" and "pop the damn question" already.

Emma couldn't help but giggle at that. Scolded by her own son. That was a bit funny. Plus, said son was already married. Had been several years.

" **Come on, ma. Seriously. You have been beating around the bush for about a month now.** "

Emma sighed. She knew that too.

" **And mom is getting suspicious.** "

That perked Emma's interest. " _What do you mean_?" she quickly tapped back.

The response came immediately. " **I talked to her yesterday. She mentioned something about you acting weird. And then she asked me whether you had said anything to me. Seriously, don't make her think you're about to leave her or something like that.** "

 _About to leave her_. God no. God forbid Regina would ever think _that_. That simply couldn't happen. Not now, not ever. Nu-uh.

But Emma still felt unsure on how to do this. So Henry had to settle for an " _I'm working on it_ , _kid_."

" **That's not a very satisfying answer, ma**."

 _You really don't have to tell me that_. Emma sighed heavily. Her phone buzzed again.

" **I'm not gonna stop bothering you. Operation Clueless is important!** "

 _Yeah, I know that_.

,,"Operation Clueless"? What's that?"

Emma yelped in surprise and stuffed the phone into her pocket. Regina was standing right behind her, looking interested over her shoulder.

,,So? What's "Operation Clueless"?" Regina repeated and chuckled at the startled look on Emma's face.

,,It's just… uh.."

,,Uh?"

,,A game," Emma said, paddling to come up with a decent lie.

,,What kind of game?" Regina asked and raised an eyebrow. ,,Is it fun?"

,,I don't know much about it yet," Emma lied. ,,It's something Henry and Luce came up with. I'm sure you can get them to tell you about it."

,,Hmm, well maybe I will," Regina mused and picked Veronica up. The little girl had just been fed a bottle, and now it was time for her afternoon nap.

 _Wow, that was a close one. Well lied, Swan_.

,,Can you take Veronica for a little stroll?" Regina asked and adjusted the sleepy/grumpy baby in her arms. ,,I would have done it myself, but the paperwork is kind of piling up in my study, so…"

,,Of course I can," Emma grinned and pointed to herself. ,,I'm her mother too, remember?"

,,I know you are, dear," Regina rolled her eyes.

Emma chuckled as she took Veronica from her arms. The baby was really quite grumpy today, and squirmed in Emma's arms.

,,Hi there, miss Grinch," Emma said and kissed Veronica's tiny nose. ,,Are you ready to take a little stroll?"

Veronica's face wrinkled and she began wailing dramatically in Emma's arms.

,,Was that an "yes" or "no"?" Emma questioned and rubbed her unhappy daughter's back.

,,That was an "I'm terribly tired, but I have no idea how to voice it, so I cry instead"." Regina said without batting an eye.

,,Yeah, we should definitely get going," Emma muttered as Veronica continued to cry loudly.

Emma quickly bundled Veronica up, placed her in the stroller with her pacifier and kissed Regina on the cheek.

,,Happy paperworking," the blonde told her and grinned.

Regina rolled her eyes. ,,Don't expect me to come to bed early tonight. This might take all night."

Emma wheeled off with Veronica. She wasn't sure whether Regina was joking or not, but she hoped she wasn't. Sleeping alone wasn't fun at all.

It was quite a nippy day in Storybrooke, not exactly _cold_ , just a bit chilly. Could summer really be over already? Emma pulled her coat tighter around her. Maybe she should consider using something else than the leather jacket. She would just have to remember to remove the little, secret box inside it. If Regina somehow found it… well, that would be a disaster. Would ruin the surprise completely.

Emma smiled and looked down at Veronica. The baby wasn't crying anymore. Instead she was looking up at her mother, her green eyes very attentive.

,,You are so cute, you know that right?" Emma smiled and reached down to tickle Veronica's cheek.

Veronica spluttered in agreement.

,,As snug as a bug," Emma quipped. Veronica flashed her one of her adorable, drippily smiles. One of those that went straight to Emma's mother-heart.

Emma chuckled as they continued their little stroll through Storybrooke. Suddenly, Veronica flailed her arms, clearly looking at something.

And Emma quickly found out what. A ladybug had landed on her jacket sleeve. _Well, speaking of bug_. Emma halted their walk for a moment. Veronica was obviously fascinated by the ladybug, so why not humor her for a second?

,,Do you think it's actually a human like Archie?" Emma joked. She had never actually seen Archie as Jiminy Cricket, but the thought was amusing.

Veronica squealed and reached out after the bug, but Emma quickly moved her arm out of the little girl's reach. She really wouldn't risk Veronica hurting the bug. Those chubby fingers reached for everything these days.

,,You can't have it sweetie," she told the baby. ,,The bug needs to be free. See?"

The ladybug flew off towards the sky, and for a second it looked like Veronica would burst out crying because of it.

,,It's okay," Emma quickly comforted the little girl. ,,We have our own Ladybug at home."

The blonde knew a hundredth percent that Veronica adored Lady, and the feeling was mutual. The cocker spaniel was always so gentle around Veronica, always careful with her. They should have brought her with them on this little walk. But Emma knew that Lady wouldn't go _anywhere_ without Lady. No matter how much the dog adored Emma, she was still completely devoted to Regina and followed her like a shadow.

Regina had revealed that "Roni" had found Lady one foggy morning, scrabbling around in the alleys of Hyperion Heights, and out of the kindness in her heart, she had taken the dog in, bathed her, fed her and cared for her. An animal shelter had been out of the question.

,,What do you think mommy is doing? Do you think she's working hard?" Emma asked the half-asleep Veronica.

No doubt Regina was doing just that. As mayor, she was always busy, and Emma often wondered how the hell she had managed on her own when Henry was a baby. Emma couldn't for the life of her imagine to do all that on her own.

The blonde continued to talk nonsense to the sleepy baby while they walked around in Storybrooke. Veronica's eyes had started drooping, and Emma suspected that it wouldn't be long before she fell asleep.

And she was quite right about. As Emma took a turn, getting nearer the road leading up to Zelena's farmhouse, the little girl yawned one last time and then very quietly fell asleep.

Emma stopped for a moment to enjoy the sight. Her baby looked so beautiful when she was asleep like this. So peaceful and content.

,,I love you," Emma quietly told the sleeping baby and smiled. Some day, Veronica would be able to say it back. Some day, she would say "I love you too, mommy". And oh, how Emma longed for that day.

Emma's head snapped up at the sound of footsteps approaching. She had been so busy staring herself blind at her daughter, that she almost didn't hear it.

But the next minute, she saw Zelena coming towards her with what looked like two filled grocery bags. The redhead stopped and smiled and peaked into the stroller. Her smile widened at seeing the sleeping Veronica. ,,I see my young niece is quite contend."

,,Yep. That she is."

,,And my sister too, I hope?" Zelena said and narrowed her eyes at Emma. The former Wicked Witch had turned out to be extremely protective of her little sister, and she had on more than one occasion threatened to strange Emma with her bare hands if she ever found any reason to believe that Regina was unhappy.

,,Regina is doing wonderfully," Emma assured the redhead. ,,Working at the moment, but otherwise fine."

,,Good. Happy to hear that. Keep it up." Zelena patted Emma's arm and then opened the gate to her farmhouse.

,,I will," Emma half-chuckled. She found it rather cute, the way Zelena had turned into "protective big sister". Emma couldn't know for sure, but she _hoped_ that Zelena would be happy once Emma finally asked Regina to marry her.

Veronica was more or less unconscious, so Emma decided to just head home. The weather was getting cold, and on their way back to the mansion, the first raindrops started to fall.

The "first raindrops" soon turned into regular bad weather, and Emma was completely _drenched_ by the time she reached the mansion.

As the porch was shielded, and the stroller too, Emma decided to leave Veronica out there, as opposed to bringing her inside and potentially wake her up.

The blonde pulled her booths of with a "slurp" sound. They were full of water, and her socks were quite wet. Very uncomfortable.

She should probably _do_ something about her "wet rat" appearance, and she started by pulling her socks off and stuffing them inside the washing machine. The water was dripping from her hair, and staining Regina's ridiculously expensive white carpet. Damn it.

Emma wasn't being very quiet as she pulled her leather jacket off and stuffed into the washing machine along with her socks, and as bundled her hair into a high ponytail to avoid further damage, she heard hectic activity from Regina's study. Emma completely stopped in her tracks. Drawers been shut rather forcefully, a key in a lock. Locking the drawer, it would seem. Why was Regina suddenly _locking_ her drawers? Did she have a secret stash of cigarettes or something like that?

Emma didn't get the chance to ponder further about the little mystery, because her favorite brunette suddenly emerged from the study, glancing up and down the drenched Emma and smirking.

,,Well, you nearly beat the rain," she observed, still smirking.

,,I look awful," Emma said and shook her head.

,,Nonsense, dear. You look positively mouthwatering."

 _Something_ in Emma's stomach coiled at that. The way Regina said it. So nonchalantly. Like she was stating the obvious.

Wet close or not, Emma suddenly got overwhelmed by the urge to kiss the brunette, but she stalled herself. She was drenched. Regina probably wasn't interested in having her pressed up against her right now.

 _And who said_ _anything_ _about being pressed up against her_? _Your mind is racing. Again_.

,,You should take that wet clothes off, dear."

 _Really not helping the matter_.

,,Right. I'm gonna take a shower," Emma muttered.

,,What a terrible shame." Regina said.

,,Why?"

,,The bathtub is bigger. There's room for two." The brunette shrugged.

Now Emma was the one to smirk. This was getting interesting. ,,I thought you were working?"

Regina crept closer to her, arms winding around the blonde's waist. ,,There's more to life than just work."

,,So there is." Emma agreed and shuddered when Regina gave her hips a playful little squeeze.

That elicited a warm chuckle from Regina who promptly leaned and gave Emma a light kiss.

 _Well, there's one way to warm me up, I suppose_.

,,Why don't you get out of those _wet_ clothes and fill the tub while I finish up down here?" Regina suggested.

 _Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard a better suggestion_. ,,That sounds good," Emma grinned and kissed Regina again for good measurements, and then with a waggled eyebrow added: ,,Don't keep me waiting."

,,Never, miss Swan," Regina assured and pushed Emma towards the stairs. ,,Now go long."

And more than willingly, Emma did just that. She quickly padded up the stairs and into Regina's crazily big bathroom, no doubt the woman valued her comfort. The bathtub alone was probably more expensive than those new computers for the station.

The blonde quickly filled the bathtub and had a grand time with testing various soaps before she stripped out of her wet clothes and climbed into the tub. Ahh. Perfect. The water was nice and warm, and the bathtub was filled with bubbles and foam. Maybe she had been going slightly overboard with the soap after all.

But what was done was done, and Emma tipped her head back. This was nice. She closed her eyes and focused on how all the cold parts of her body slowly started to heat up again. Mhmm. This was definitely nice. Maybe even a little _too_ nice. She was starting to feel a bit drowsy. The warm water and the fact that their baby had been rather grumpy the previous night made her feel sleepy. She silently ordered herself not to fall asleep in the tub. Regina would be here in a second. Falling asleep would be an absolute _sin_.

But she must have dozed for a second anyway, for when she opened her eyes again, Regina was sitting in the tub with her, grinning a little.

,,Tired, dear?"

,,A little," Emma admitted, quite sad that she had missed Regina undress. Watching the brunette undress was definitely another of her favorite things.

,,You can sleep," Regina said softly, but Emma shook her head violently.

,,I don't want to _sleep_ ," she said firmly. The implication was clear, and Regina raised an eyebrow.

,,What _do_ you want to do, then?"

,,You," Emma said boldly.

Regina laughed, but the sound was deep and warm, and not condescending in any way. And whether Emma's attempt at "seduction" had been clumsy or not, the brunette still bit her bottom lip in that way she always did when she was in a certain _mood_.

 _So, a bit turned on already I see_. ,,Come here," Emma sniggered and wagged her finger towards Regina.

Regina slid closer, leaning her back against Emma's chest.

Emma shuddered at the contact, and Regina sniggered as she pressed her back more forcefully into Emma's chest.

,,Tease," Emma complained.

,,But you like it," Regina retorted softly and turned around so they were face to face. She ran her thumb over Emma's cheek and then gave her wet hair a light tug. ,,Who would have thought life could be this _good_?"

 _She sounds so grateful_. The amount of tenderness Emma was feeling for the brunette right now was insane. A million sentimental sentences came to mind, and Emma opened her mouth to utter just one of them.

But Regina quickly put a stop to that by covering Emma's mouth with her own, and she grabbed Emma's hand, guiding it to her breast.

 _Right then_ … Regina clearly had something in mind. Something that didn't involve lots of talking.

And Emma was more than willing to grant the brunette her wish...

 **To Be Continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 8:**

This was another glorious morning.

Perhaps it _was_ a bit stalkerish, as Regina would say it, but Emma did so enjoy watching the brunette sleep. Even if it were only for a few minutes or so.

Emma predicted that Veronica would wake up in approximately thirty minutes, it would be foolish to go back to sleep even though the option was there.

There wasn't much light in the bedroom yet, it was still fairly early, but Emma could clearly see Regina. The brunette was lying on her back, arms down by her side and unruly curls spread over the pillow.

Emma watched as Regina kicked the covers off in her sleep, revealing the thin silk nightgown she had been sleeping in that night. Emma would never understand how she could sleep in those when the weather was getting this cold, but Regina had just shrugged and said something about how comfortable they were.

And honestly, Emma was quite grateful for the brunette's choice of wardrobe. The flimsy little nightgown was barely covering her thighs, giving the blonde a full view of those nicely toned legs of her. Emma _loved_ Regina's legs, and it was an absolutely mystery to her, how she had been able to _not_ look at them for six years.

Regina rolled on to her side in her sleep, a thin strap sliding down her shoulder, and for a moment, Emma was conflicted whether she should put the strap back where it belonged, or kiss the sleeping woman's shoulder.

She ended up doing nothing of it. Regina looked so peaceful. It would be a damn disgrace to wake her.

Regina stirred in her sleep and rolled on to her stomach, her ankles rubbing together slightly.

Even that sleepy little motion made Emma bite her lip and silently stall herself. No waking Regina up with a kiss no matter how much she wanted to.

She would have to settle for looking at her for now. And god, was the view ever amazing. This new sleeping position gave the blonde a perfect view of Regina's perfectly shaped backside. Granted, Emma loved _everything_ about Regina. Her toned legs, her hair, whether it was curly or smooth, the way her lips curved when she smiled, how she rolled her dark eyes. Her lightly toned stomach. That damned little jewelry in her navel. But her arse deserved a category of its own. Because it was quite frankly amazing. How she managed _not_ to jump Regina every time she was wearing something tight, was quite the mystery.

Regina muttered something again- was she waking up?

No. False alarm again. Emma watched as the brunette stretched in her sleep and rubbed her legs together.

 _Okay, the bedroom is definitely getting hotter_. Or so it felt. Emma swallowed thickly. Her neck was going flush, she was sure of it. And it didn't help much when Regina's motions made that damned nightgown slide upwards quite a bit, revealing a gracious amount of the back of her thighs to the blonde.

 _Fuck_. Emma could almost suspect Regina for doing this on purpose, but the other woman appeared to be fast asleep. And obviously, the other strap on her nightgown chose _this_ moment to slide down Regina's shoulder.

 _Why does she have to be such a beautiful mess in the morning_? _I mean, those legs, that_ _ass_ _. We have what, 20 minutes on our hands before Ronica wakes up_? _The things I could do in 20 minutes._

If only Regina would wake up, that was. Her state of "fast asleep probably dreaming something delicious" was beginning to feel like torture to Emma.

What _was_ Regina dreaming? Judging by the way the corners of her mouth tugged upwards, it could only be something good.

 _I really can't wake her up in the middle of a nice dream_. _That would be awful of me_.

So Emma settled for admiring the view. She could do that. She could watch Regina forever.

But still, it was okay to cheat a _little_ , right? Emma carefully pulled the covers away from Regina's lower half. There. Now her legs and backside were gloriously exposed to Emma. Perfect. _Mouthwatering_ , as Regina would say.

,,Mmmph.." Regina blinked very, very slowly and opened her eyes.

,,Hey there," Emma grinned, not totally sorry about haven woken the brunette from her slumber.

,,How long have _you_ been awake?" Regina asked, voice full of gravel and delightfully hoarse.

,,A while," Emma admitted.

,,And why on earth haven't you made me coffee yet?" Regina quipped, but Emma knew there was some truth in her words. The brunette could be rather grumpy if she didn't get her coffee in the morning.

,,I was too busy admiring the view," the blonde chuckled, eyes roaming over Regina's curvaceous backside again.

Regina huffed something incoherent and narrowed her dark eyes at Emma. ,,So _you_ stole my duvet."

,,Yep."

,,You have a fetish," Regina calmly informed her.

,,Yep," Emma repeated, sliding closer and finally running her finger up and down Regina's arse.

,,It's too early for that," Regina half-complained.

,,I'm not doing anything," Emma claimed, despite giving Regina's rear a squeeze.

,,No, just feeling me up before bloody sunrise," Regina said dryly.

Emma chuckled. _Feeling me up_. That was a new one. But a very well-chosen phrase. The blonde gave Regina's rear another half-hard squeeze.

,,Miss Swan…" Regina warned, but that didn't fool Emma. She _had_ heard the whoosh of air Regina let out at the touch.

,,I don't think you actually mind me _feeling you up_ ," Emma joked as her hand travelled up under Regina's nightgown, now tracing along her spine.

Regina hummed something in response, and Emma saw how she squeezed her legs together already.

 _And I'm barely touching her_. _Amazing_. Emma continued to dig her fingers into Regina's spine, an odd thing between a back massage and suggestive caress.

Once Emma moved her touch to the brunette's lower back, Regina wiggled her arse slightly, a clear invitation for Emma to touch it again.

,,Now who's the one with the fetish?" Emma softly accused and gave Regina's rear a firm squeeze.

Another whoosh of air, and- _was that a whimper_? Yep, Regina was most definitely whimpering at the touch, and Emma was pretty sure it was the sexiest thing she had ever witnessed.

The blonde gave Regina's ass another squeeze, and now the brunette was most definitely squeezing her legs together, then relaxing over and over again.

Emma rucked her nightgown up, exposing her back and pressed a soft kiss to her lower back.

,,Mmph!" Regina muttered, and the sound got slightly muffled by the pillow, but Emma clearly saw how she squeezed the edges of the pillow between her fingers.

 _Oh. Ohhh_! She hadn't expected Regina to be this gone already. Apart from the soft whimpering, the brunette had been fairly composed until now.

Emma pressed another kiss to the brunette's lower back, testing a theory, and Regina's reaction didn't disappoint her. Another moan followed by an: ,,Oh _god_!" spilled from her lips.

 _Sensitive to kisses on her lower back. Duly noted_. Emma still had quite a bit of fun "mapping" Regina like this. She kept finding sensitive spots, new pressure points to experiment with.

Regina moaned in a "please keep going"-manner, bringing Emma back to reality, and the blonde smiled as she found one of her "old" sensitive spots. The side of her neck. Emma had learned some time ago, that Regina was ridiculously sensitive when it came to having her neck kissed.

,, _Emma_ …" definitely a warning this time. Not to stop, but a plead to keep going.

Said blonde smirked and gave Regina's ass another firm squeeze, rubbing it slightly this time.

,,I'm gonna…" another warning.

 _Could she actually come from this_? Emma wouldn't be the slightest surprised if that was the case. Regina was now desperately rutting her hips against the mattress, clearly struggling.

 _Okay, time to relieve some of the pressure, I think._ ,,Turn around," Emma urged gently, and Regina immediately did as told. Her cheeks were flushed, and her chest was rising and falling quickly. Her dark eyes squeezed shut.

,,Look at me," Emma whispered.

Regina opened her eyes, and they were completely dark with arousal and just a tiny bit unfocused for same reason.

,,I love you," Emma told her as she skimmed her hand down Regina's body.

,, _Fuck_. I would- Mmm!- love you even more if you…" Regina didn't finish the sentence and squeezed her legs together again.

Emma chuckled quietly. She _loved_ this. Loved when words failed the normally so sharp and sassy Madam Mayor, and her sharp tongue was reduced to gibberish instead.

,,Please?" Regina begged. ,,I'm so…"

 _So what_? Emma wondered. Sometimes it seemed as if Regina were ashamed to voice her desires. Like feeling need was something to be ashamed off. _Who the hell taught her that_?

,,Please?" Regina said again.

And Emma wasn't about to deny her anything. She quickly dipped down and kissed Regina's lips tenderly before finally pushing Regina's nightgown out of the way and sliding her panties down her legs.

Regina made another "guhh" sound in the back of her throat when Emma gave her inner thigh a light pet. The brunette grabbed on to the sheet and clutched it between her fingers.

 _God, I love this_. Emma gave Regina's thigh a little nudge, and the brunette immediately understood and parted her legs until she was splayed wide.

Emma abandoned her thigh, let her hand travel up and finally giving Regina light pet with her fingertip.

Regina's reaction didn't disappoint. Her leg immediately jerked, and her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Emma continued to pet, to tease, to circle her with her finger without giving her some actual pressure where she needed it the most.

It was only when Regina's moans had turned into strangled sobs and her breathing had become erratic, that Emma ceased the teasing and finally gave the brunette what she wanted.

And by all the gods, Regina's reaction to that was even better. Her words turned into gibberish, and Emma was certain, that the brunette was speaking that strange "not-quite-Spanish" language again. _What language is that even_? Emma wondered. But the question only occupied one half of her brain. The other half was far too busy being satisfied with having made Regina slip into another language.

Suddenly, Regina's hand found Emma's other hand, the one that wasn't busy working miracles, and squeezed rather hard.

Emma smirked. She knew exactly what that meant. Regina was close.

 _Come for me, my love_. _Let me see you unravel_. Emma sped up her ministrations, now rubbing Regina in earnest.

And just like that, they had reached the part where words left Regina completely. Emma watched her chest rise and fall quickly, her breath came out in little pants, and then-

The grip on Emma's hand became almost unbearable tight, but Emma didn't mind that one bit. Regina looked fucking beautiful when she fell apart like this. Her legs trembled, her bottom lip quivered, and Emma slowly withdrew her hand. This was perfect. She had no interest in overstimulating the brunette.

Emma waited patiently. Regina was still holding her hand in a death grip, her eyes were squeezed shut, and she was still gasping for air. Still coming, it would seem.

 _God, she's beautiful_.

,,Marry me," Emma blurted out.

 _Wait, what_? _WHAT_?! _What did you just say_?! _There is_ _no way_ _you just said that right now. This is about the worst time you could have chosen. Completely inappropriate. What the fuck, Emma_?!

But it didn't look like Regina had heard Emma's spontaneous proposal. Her eyes were still closed, and her legs were still trembling quite a bit.

Emma silently thanked whatever god that seemed to be with her this morning.

And finally, Regina released the blonde's hand from her death grip and let out a quiet _whoosh_ of air.

Emma grinned rather satisfied as Regina very slowly opened her eyes.

,,That was.." Regina said, voice hoarse and full of gravel.

,,Amazing? Out of this world? Extremely pleasurable? I'm all ears," Emma chuckled and gave Regina's rear another squeeze for good measurements.

,,Quite the wakeup call," Regina landed on as she tried to made herself look "decent" again.

 _Ha. She doesn't look one bit decent right now. She looks like a cat who just swallowed a fucking canary bird._

Emma sniggered at her own thoughts.

,,What is so funny, miss Swan?" Regina drawled and ran a finger through her hair. ,,I do hope you're not laughing at _me_?"

,,I actually am a little," Emma admitted without feeling much ashamed. ,,You look delightfully… _rumbled_."

,,Oh." Regina smirked. ,,Well, that's all _your_ doing, dear."

Emma sniggered again, not overly satisfied with her "performance".

In that moment, they heard Veronica coo over the baby monitor, and Regina sighed as she swung one leg out of the bed.

,,Let me," Emma said. Regina still looked a bit ragged, like she could use a minute or two to float back to earth.

She didn't wait for Regina's answer and hopped out of bed, padded into the nursery and switched on the lights in there.

Veronica was flapping her arms, clearly eager to leave this wretched crib.

,,Hi, sweet pea," Emma said softly as she lifted Veronica out of the crib. ,,How are you doing today, honey? Did you sleep alright?"

Veronica's quivering lip was immediately replaced by a drippily smile. _Yes, mommy, I slept good, mommy_.

,,Are you hungry?" Emma asked the baby as she carried her downstairs.

Veronica was indeed hungry on this particular morning. She immediately latched onto the bottle and drank eagerly.

Once she was done, Emma placed her in the bouncer and padded around in the kitchen to make coffee and prepare breakfast.

Regina hadn't shown yet. Maybe she had fallen asleep again. She sometimes did that afterwards.

But just as Emma had poured herself a cup of coffee and taken the first bite of her buttered toast, Regina came trotting into the kitchen followed closely by her faithful cocker spaniel.

The brunette still looked a bit dazed to be honest, but her eyes were definitely more focused when she bent down and kissed Veronica's cheek and asked her if she had slept alright.

Emma quickly poured her a cup of coffee and handed her a piece of toast.

,,Thank you. Who would have guessed you are so good at delightful morning surprises?" Regina quipped and took a sip of her coffee.

,,I still hold secrets," Emma shrugged and took a bite of her toast.

,,Yes, it would seem so." Regina chuckled warmly and squeezed Emma's hand, and Emma's thoughts once again wandered to the little, secret box hiding in her jacket pocket…

 **To Be Continued…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 9.0:**

Emma chuckled at the faces Veronica was making at David. The baby was obviously "smitten" with David, and the feeling was quite mutual. David adored Veronica.

So did Snow, and she smiled widely at her granddaughter.

Emma leaned back in her chair and took another sip of her coffee. She quite liked this little improvised breakfast séance. Her parents had shown up early, ordinarily to "kidnap" Veronica for the day, but Emma had invited them inside for breakfast before they left.

David tickled Veronica, and the little girl squealed loudly in delight at that.

,,What the unholy hell is going on down here?!"

Emma whipped her head around just in time to see Regina coming down the stairs, still wearing her nightgown and her long bathrobe over it.

The brunette was quite clearly scowling, and Emma pursed her lips a little at that.

,,A warning about our mornings guests would have been nice, _dear_ ," Regina sneered.

 _Uh-oh. Someone is cross this morning_. According to Emma, Regina had absolutely no reason to be cross. After Veronica had been tucked in last night, they had ended the night in a most _pleasurable_ manner, so why the hell was Regina looking like a thundercloud?

,,You're in a good mood," Emma muttered.

Regina immediately softened considerably at the blonde's tone, but her forehead remained wrinkled when she said: ,,I'm sorry. I just haven't had my coffee yet."

,,And what else?" Emma inquired as Regina poured herself a cup of coffee, petted Veronica's cheek and then settled down at the table with them.

Emma just knew that there was something else bothering Regina. She could tell. And she didn't even need her superpowers to know.

,,I woke up with a nasty headache," Regina admitted and cracked her neck.

,,Oh. Shoot. I'm sorry about that," Emma said and gave Regina's shoulder a soft squeeze.

,,I don't think you need to apologize. You are hardly responsible for my head acting up," Regina said dryly. ,,Unless you put some sort of spell on me, that is."

,,No spell," Emma assured. ,,Are you gonna take the day off?"

,,That would probably be the wisest thing to do."

,,But what?" Emma pressed, fully prepared to fight Regina if she was going to work while feeling sick.

,,But _nothing_ ," Regina said. ,,I'm staying home, okay? Now stop pestering me, miss Swan."

It could have sounded incredibly crass, but the words weren't very hard, and the little _miss Swan_ made Emma know that Regina didn't mean it that bad. She never did.

,,Are you two here to kidnap our daughter?" Regina asked Snow and David.

,,Yes." Snow grinned. ,,And I think that's a good way. You can focus on getting better without having to worry about Veronica."

,,I'm not sick, Snow White." Regina denied.

,,Of course not," David said.

Mary Margaret and David left, and Regina went upstairs to get dressed.

Emma cleared the table. She happened to have the day off today, and she had been meaning to use that bit spare time in a sensible manner, like tidying Veronica's nursery up or something like that, but now that Regina was home too, Emma didn't really feel like doing much else than being by her side. Especially now, when she was "unwell" as the brunette chose to put it.

Hmm. What would Regina like to do when she was sick or "unwell". Emma didn't know, she had never seen Regina be sick. Hungovered, yes, but not sick like this.

Emma's ponderings were interrupted when said brunette padded into the living room again. She flashed Emma a smile as she plopped down on the couch, rubbing the back of her neck.

The blonde couldn't help but grin as she returned the smile. Regina looked very much like her Seattle-alter ego today. All dressed down in a pair of black jeans and the infamous Rick James t-shirt.

,,I didn't feel like dressing up today," she admitted and swallowed the aspirin Emma had just fetched her.

,,You look amazing, _Roni_ ," Emma chuckled.

That was met by a:,, careful, miss Swan." And an eyeroll.

But Emma just sniggered as she sat down next to Ron- _Regina_ on the couch. _I definitely have a weakness for Regina wearing jeans_.

,,Where does it hurt?" not that she had to ask. Regina kept cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders like she was trying to pop something loose in there.

Without much further ado, Emma started to rub Regina's shoulders. The brunette didn't flinch but quickly said: ,,You don't have to do that, Emma."

,,No. But I _want_ to," Emma grinned, and even though Regina had turned her head, the blonde was positive that she was rolling her eyes at her again.

Emma took the lack of response as a "go ahead", so she kept going. Slowly rubbing Regina's shoulders, kneading every last single knot in them, and Regina seemed rather satisfied with that. Her squirming stopped, and she made this little sigh of relief.

But once Emma reached the side of her neck and started rubbing the soft flesh there, the squirming started anew, and Regina said: ,,Not there."

,,Does it hurt?" Emma asked worriedly and instantly stopped her ministrations.

,,Not exactly." Regina said a bit sharply.

 _Oh_. Emma bit back a chuckle when she realized Regina was squirming for completely _other_ reasons now. ,,That turns you on, huh?"

,,Not quite how I would have put it," Regina said and scrunched up her nose. ,,But essentially, yes. And now is not the time for that."

,,It could be?" Emma boldly suggested. ,,You know what they say: sex is the most effective cure for headaches."

Regina laughed, actually laughed at that and shot Emma an amused glance. ,,And wherever have you heard that?"

,,I've read it. Cosmopolitan."

,, _You_ read Cosmopolitan?" Regina said haughtily.

,,Yes. And so do _you_ ," Emma rebutted.

,,I do not."

,,Yes you do. I've seen it."

,,One time," Regina defended. ,,Because I was curious."

,,Right." Emma grinned, not believing her at all.

,,And I do believe you were in the middle of rubbing my shoulders," Regina said and closed the subject.

,,I was. Unless there's something _else_ you would rather do." Emma nonchalantly suggested.

Now Regina was raising an eyebrow and giving Emma a sideway glance. _Considering it, then_. Emma wouldn't mind "relieving" Regina's headache like that. Not at all.

Then, Regina chuckled warmly and pulled Emma closer, hands linking around Emma's wrists as she said: ,,Why is it that you are incapable of keeping your pretty hands off me, miss Swan?"

 _Miss Swan_. If not careful, Emma could definitely develop a kink for being called that.

,,Because you are fucking marvelous," Emma breathed as she freed one of her hands and skimmed her finger up and down Regina's arm.

,,And you, my love, is absolutely delightful," Regina half-laughed and pressed a light kiss to Emma's wrist.

Emma shuddered. Not only at the kiss, but at the words too. Her heart always acted up whenever Regina called her "my love".

And Regina knew this. ,,My love." she teased, causing Emma to shudder again.

,,Stop it."

,,My _love_. _My love_."

,,You are not playing fair."

Regina pushed a strand of golden hair behind Emma's ear. ,,Duckling."

 _Okay, definitely not playing fair_. The combination of Regina's choice of wardrobe and the words, the slight accent she was sporting right now, was one very dangerous cocktail.

,,To much for ya, miss Swan?"

,,Stop teasing me, _Roni_ ," Emma warned.

,,Or what?"

,,Or I'll tease back," Emma vowed.

,,And how would you do that, dear?"

,,Well…" Emma's fingertips found that soft spot on the side of Regina's neck. ,,I have several ideas."

Regina made an "Mmm!" sound in the back of her throat, and this time she didn't tell Emma to stop.

And Emma grinned at that. It would appear she won this one. She continued to massage the side of Regina's neck with her fingertips. ,,How is that headache coming along?"

,,Did I have a headache?" Regina retorted.

Emma's grin became slightly more crooked now. Regina's breathing was going a little ragged, and she kept opening and closing her hand.

,,Mmmm…"

,,Nice?" Emma asked, quite unnecessarily. Obviously, Regina was enjoying this.

,,Yes, but there's a problem."

,,Is there?"

,,Mhmm. I would very much like to kiss you, and I can't because you keep distracting me."

Emma instantly stilled her movements, and Regina promptly turned around, grabbed the blonde and pulled her down on top of her.

 _So that's how we're playing today_. ,,I think you want more than to just _kiss_ me, Madam Mayor," Emma accused mockingly.

They both laugh at that. Because calling Regina "Madam Mayor" right now, when she's dressed in Seattle-attire, seems completely foolish.

,,Do you mind that?" Regina asked innocently and threaded her fingers through Emma's hair.

,,Nope." And with that, the blonde crashed their lips together in a not-very-gentle kiss.

But Regina didn't seem in the mood for gentle anyway. The way she responded to the kiss and digged her fingers into Emma's spine was all very telltale for said blonde.

,,God, I love you." _Marry me_.

,,I love you too, miss Swan. Now kindly go back to kissing me."

Emma sniggered and did just that.

And they did that for quite a while actually. None of them really felt like doing much else, none of them initiating to take things a step further either. They've already had quite the long night, and none of them seemed to have enough energy to anything else but headed kissing.

Until Lady seemingly wanted to "join the party" and gave Emma's cheek a rather wet lick, causing the blonde to yelp and Regina laugh heartedly for ten minutes straight.

But Regina's headache did subside.

A few days later, Emma came home from a rather busy day at the station, it wasn't very often they were called out to a _barfight_ at 10 in the morning, but it was actually quite refreshing to see something else than the inside of the sheriff's station for a change.

Emma slipped her booths off and padded into the kitchen. It had been quite the day, separating two angry men from one another _without_ using magic was somewhat a task, but the blonde's mood softened considerably when she looked out of the window and found Regina and Veronica on a blanket under the apple tree. Regina was holding their sleeping daughter tightly into her chest with one hand. She was using the other one to look through what appeared to be Lucy's storybook. The "Hyperion Heights" storybook, the little, white one. The original storybook was lying next to her on the blanket.

Emma quickly opened the door and walked out to them. To hell with wearing socks only.

,,Hi honey, I'm home," Emma quipped, and Regina's head snapped up, a smile blossoming on her lips. She was once again "dressed down" in jeans, a tanktop and her hair was in loose curls.

,,Is little Roni hanging with big Roni?" Emma joked and kissed the top of Veronica's head, then Regina's.

,,I guess you could say that," Regina said and chuckled.

,,Have Luce been here?" Emma asked, nodding towards the storybooks.

,,Yes, she stopped by with Ella."

,,Bummer I wasn't home," Emma complained. She hated being home late and missing out on what she called "Veronica-time".

,,They didn't stay for very long. Lucy just wanted to show me the storybooks."

,,Okay. Why? Have she discovered a new fairytale figure?" Emma quipped.

,,More like a new _story_ ," Regina answered, and she sounded more than pleased with Lucy's discovery.

,,What new story?" Emma asked and sat down next to them on the blanket.

,,Why don't you see for yourself, dear?" Regina said and pushed the storybook over to Emma.

Confused, Emma opened the "false" storybook and looked through it. It didn't take her long to realize exactly what new story Lucy had found in it.

The smile grew bigger on the blonde's lips as she flipped a few pages forward. The whole story was there. Everything. Roni behind the counter, Emma's first visit to the bar. Their dancing around each other. The first kiss. Both of them joking around while they prepared the bar for another evening.

Eager to read the rest of the story, Emma flipped several pages forward, but there wasn't anymore.

,,Where's the rest of it?" Emma asked, for all she knew, their story wasn't over.

,,In the original storybook," Regina said, tone more than suggesting that Emma was dense.

,,Ah. Of course," Emma laughed and traded the Hyperion Heights fairytale book for the big original one. She quickly flipped through it until she found what she was looking for.

And there it was. Her and Regina and Lady and Veronica. Them all huddled together on the couch, Veronica in their arms and Lady resting next to them.

Emma's heart swelled. Every picture described the feeling "home" so perfectly. Her eyes stopped at a particular picture of Regina. It was from the day where they adopted Veronica and brought her home with them. Seeing the picture in the storybook was one thing, but Emma clearly remembered when Regina first laid eyes upon their daughter. The look in her eyes had been so soft, so gentle. And how she had stolen glances at Emma and Veronica in the car on the way home. She had been well… A woman looking at her family. There were no other words to describe it.

 _If this isn't a sign_. Suddenly, David's words echoed in Emma's head " _you don't find the perfect moment. The perfect moment finds you_."

And if not now, when?

Emma carefully closed the storybook and set it aside on the blanket. She looked at Regina, sitting on the blanket, cradling Veronica in her arms and talking nonsense to her.

 _Honestly, I can't think of a better moment._

Emma got in front of Regina and touched her knee to get her attention. When the brunette looked up, Emma said:

,,How would you feel about adding a new chapter to our story?"

She saw how Regina's eyebrow raised and her forehead crinkled in confusion. She had no idea what Emma was getting at.

,,What do you mean?" the brunette asked.

Emma sucked in a breath and took a second to check her heart. But it was beating steadily, securely. Not an ounce of doubt. Of course there wasn't. Emma smiled as she reached inside her pocket and finally presented Regina with the well-kept little box. ,,Will you marry me?"

 **To Be Continued…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 10.0**

If she hadn't been so focused on her trembling knees, Emma could almost have laughed at Regina's expression.

To say that the brunette looked shocked would be understatement of the year. Regina's eyes were double the size they normally were, and for a second, Emma feared that she would faint.

,,I… _what_?!" Regina finally said, clutching the sleeping Veronica to her chest, maybe in an attempt to steady herself. Emma was quite grateful, that the brunette was already sitting down.

,,I love you." Emma started. Now would probably be a good time to start that speech she had been making up in her mind. ,,You and Veronica are my home. My family. And there's nothing I want more than to be with you until… well," Emma chuckled a little. This was Storybrooke. They weren't exactly aging. ,,Until the end of time," she finally landed on. ,,I want you forever, Regina. And I hope…" words were suddenly failing her, and Emma swallowed thickly before continuing: ,,And I hope you want me too."

,,Emma.. You _know_ I love you, but…"

The blonde quickly took Regina's hand. ,,I'm not about to pressure you into anything, Regina. You are not obliged to say yes in anyway."

But Regina shook her head at that. ,,No, I… It's not that."

Emma quickly understood what she meant. ,,It wouldn't have to be some major event either. We can do this any way _you_ want to. A quiet ceremony just for you and me, if that's what you want. I would be totally okay with that."

,,I don't think it would be fair to exclude Henry. Or your parents. Or my sister." Regina muttered.

Emma tilted her head. _Was that a yes_? _Did she just say yes to marry me_?

Regina answered the question for her. ,,I think this is the part where you put that ring on my finger, Emma."

And Emma could have chosen to do that, but she wanted to do this the right way, so she said: ,,Nope. Stand up."

Regina adjusted Veronica in her arms and shot Emma a "now what you're doing"-look. But nevertheless, the brunette obeyed the "command and rose from the blanket, coming to her full height.

 _This is it, Swan. This is the moment_. ,,I want to do this the right way," Emma précised as she very slowly opened the box.

,,I don't think there is a _right_ way when it comes to you and I," Regina interjected.

 _You might be right about that_. ,,The traditional way then," Emma said.

,,Oh, god, you're not going to… are you?" Regina replied, her eyes widened, and she looked slightly alarmed.

,,Yes I am," Emma said and grinned a little. ,,Try not and laugh at me, okay?" and with that she finally got down on one knee and held the ring up towards Regina. the blonde cleared her throat and said: ,,Regina Mills, will you marry me?"

She heard Regina exhale slowly and after a beat, the brunette said the little word Emma so longed to hear: ,,Yes."

Emma feared that her heart might just explode from happiness as she smiled up at Regina and finally placed the ring on her finger. ,,Thank you."

Regina didn't answer to that, and as Emma rose from her kneeling position on the grass, she saw Regina's eyes go suspiciously misty.

 _I did it. Exactly what I was dreaming of, but never dared to hope for. I made her cry happy-tears._

,,You want to _marry_ me." Regina said and once again steadied herself by holding on to Veronica.

,,Yeah, I do." Emma confirmed with a chuckle.

,, _You_ want to marry _me_ ," Regina whispered, sounding like she couldn't quite comprehend it.

,,Do you need a second?" Emma asked gently. In any relationship, engagement and marriage was a huge step, but Emma could fully understand why this was a major step for Regina in particular.

,,Yes, I…" Regina placed Veronica in Emma's arms. ,,I thought this night would end with me cooking up something for dinner, putting Veronica to bed and then maybe watch a movie before bed, and instead I'm suddenly…"

,,Engaged," Emma finished the sentence with a little chuckle and bounced Veronica up and down.

,,That's why you have been acting strange lately," Regina realized.

,,Yeah. I didn't know exactly how to do it," Emma admitted.

Regina shook her head and laughed a little as she looked at the ring on her finger. Her expression grew a bit more serious when she said: ,,Did you mean what you said about being alright with having a small wedding?"

,,Absolutely," Emma said firmly. The rooftop ceremony she had with Killian had been fine, but it had been over the top. No pun intended. All of Storybrooke attending. It had been a bit too much.

,,I don't think I want a big wedding." Regina said. ,,I sort of already tried that…"

,,Me, too. It wasn't really my thing either," Emma said, slipping her free arm around Regina's waist.

,,Do I have to wear white?" Regina asked, touching the hand resting on her hip.

,,You don't _have_ to do anything," Emma said. ,,You can wear whatever color you desire. Or nothing at all, I don't care."

Regina chuckled at that. ,,I don't think our son would appreciate that, Emma."

Emma laughed as she gently spun Regina around. ,,Can I kiss you now, or do you still need a moment to.. wrap your head around things?"

,,Done wrapping my head," Regina joked, and Emma leaned in and kissed her gently. She was still holding Veronica, so she couldn't do much with her hands, but Regina made up for that by cupping Emma's face as they kissed.

,,We're getting married," Emma grinned as they finally broke apart.

,,Yes, that _is_ the whole point with getting engaged." Regina deadpanned.

,,You're gonna be my _wife_ ," Emma continued, and her cheeks started to hurt a bit from smiling like an idiot.

,,It would appear so, dear," Regina smirked. ,,Who would have thought that?"

,,We totally beat fate," Emma nodded.

,,Indeed," Regina said, and then, grin spreading over her face. ,,Your mother is gonna be _delighted_."

,,She always kept going on about how she wanted you to become a part of the family," Emma nodded, trying to sound dead-serious, but barely keeping it together.

,,Now she's getting it her way," Regina chuckled, but then her expression grew slightly more horrified as she said: ,,Oh god, she's gonna be my _mother-in-law_."

Emma gaped. She hadn't exactly thought of it _that_ way, but the way Regina was saying it.. ,,Wow. That is…"

,,"Fucked up"?" Regina suggested nonchalantly.

,,It's gonna be eventful when Veronica is going to learn about the family tree," Emma murmured.

Regina snorted. ,,Well, the family tree is still giving _me_ a headache, so.."

Emma laughed.

They stayed outside under the apple tree until the sky was darkening and the air grew colder. Then Regina said:

,,I should probably start making dinner."

,,Why don't we go out instead?" Emma suggested. It was a while since they had been out and about.

Regina smirked. ,,Do you want to go to Granny's, my dear?"

,,Yeah, why not."

,,Yes, why not," Regina repeated and rolled her eyes. ,,Where your parents without a doubt also happens to be, and we both know what happens when she spots this _rock_ on my finger."

,,She's gonna scream loud enough to wake the dead," Emma finished the sentence and grinned.

,,Most likely."

,,We might as well get it over with," Emma said mock-gravely. ,,Brace yourself."

Regina mock shuddered.

Regina changed into something "a bit more mayoral" and they bundled Veronica up and headed over to Granny's Diner. The baby was still fast asleep, so instead of lifting her out of the stroller and potentially waking her, they placed the stroller near their table and sat down.

Eat of them ordered a burger, Regina opted for a vegetarian one, while Emma ordered one with "extra everything" and extra fries.

,,You still eat like a child," Regina commented.

Emma shrugged. ,,Your lasagna is kick ass, but it doesn't quite match Granny's burgers."

,,Excuse me, miss Swan?" Regina drawled. ,,Are you insulting my cooking?"

,,No, I'm comparing your cooking." Emma corrected and grinned. She knew she was walking on shaky ground here.

Regina lowered her voice. ,,Is that any way to speak to your fiancée?"

Warmth spread through Emma's body. Hearing Regina refer to herself as "fiancée" was surprisingly…. _Sexy_.

 _Right, if this affects me, what's gonna happen when she starts calling herself my_ " _wife_ "? _I'm gonna be in so much trouble._

,,What's going on in your pretty head, miss Swan?"

,,I was just thinking…" Emma mumbled halfheartedly.

,,About…?"

,,The honeymoon," Emma said, now going crimson. In a crowded restaurant.

Regina raised an eyebrow and smirked in that particular way she did when she was up to no good, but she didn't say anything.

And Emma didn't get the chance to say anything more. Their food arrived, and both women digged into their burgers.

While they were eating and bantering and teasing each other like they always did, Snow and David entered Granny's Diner. The prince and princess quickly spotted the pair and walked over to them. David asked if they could join them, and both Emma and Regina nodded in affirmative.

,,So," Snow said once they were sitting down at the table and she had fawned over Veronica in best "grandmother-fashion", ,,How are you two doing?"

,,Quite well, thank you," Regina said pleasantly and smirked at Emma in an "do you want to tell them or should I"-manner.

,,Actually, we have some news.." Emma started, but then ran out of words. For some reason, she felt like Regina should be the one announcing it. So she gave Regina a little nudge and nodded.

,,What?" Snow asked and looked from her daughter to Regina.

,,Well…" Regina said and took a sip of her water before continuing: ,,Your daughter asked for _my hand in marriage_."

Emma suppressed a grin at that. What a way to announce it. Hand in marriage. It sounded positively old fashioned.

Snow's mouth fell open with a soft _pop_ , and her eyes widened. But David just grinned and mouthed "well done" to Emma.

,,And I said yes," Regina nonchalantly continued and flashed the ring on her finger. ,,So if you are going to be hysterical, I suggest you do it now before the diner gets crowded."

And _hysterical_ was exactly what Mary Margaret became. The pixie haired woman squealed, hugged Emma, hugged Regina, hugged her husband, then Emma and then Regina again for good measurements.

,,Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Regina said dryly when Snow hugged her for the fifth time.

Emma laughed, and did absolutely nothing to "save" Regina from the overbearing Snow.

,,Help." Regina said plainly to Emma. ,,Your mother is trying to squeeze the life out of me, and I _really_ don't want to hurt her."

,,Give her break, mom," Emma said, but Snow only responded by hugging Regina tighter.

,,What's going on here, why is grandma choking mom?" Henry sniggered as he arrived at the diner and went over to them.

,,Because your mom and I are getting married, kid," said Emma and smiled proudly.

,, _Finally_ ," Henry exclaimed and hugged Emma tightly. ,,Only took you about a million years."

,,Hey!"

,,You _knew_ ," Regina said as she finally was able to free herself from Snow's embrace.

,,Yep." Henry grinned. ,,We called it Operation Clueless."

,,Oh, so _that's_ what that was about," Regina said and raised an eyebrow at Emma as Henry hugged her too.

Emma shrugged innocently.

,,So when's the wedding gonna be?" David grinned as they settled down at the table once more.

,,We haven't discussed that yet," Emma said truthfully as she lifted the now wide-awake Veronica out of the stroller. ,,But it's just gonna be something small. Just family. Right, Regina?"

Regina nodded in affirmative. ,,No fanfares. No spectacle. Just a couple of "I do's"."

,,You're gonna be a "Charming"." Snow said and flashed a grin at Regina.

,,No dear. I'm gonna be a "Swan"." Regina calmly corrected.

,,Is this the point where I advise you to take good care of my daughter?" David said completely seriously, drawing a chuckle from Henry.

,,Your daughter is more than capable of taking care of herself. In case you haven't noticed." Regina deadpanned.

,,I want to see that ring again," Snow demanded and grabbed Regina's hand to take a closer look at the ring on her finger.

,,Knock yourself out," Regina muttered and Emma admired how skilled she was in eating her burger with one hand.

Emma was very impressed with how patient Regina was. The brunette answered every burning question Mary Margaret had about the proposal, the ceremony, the dresses, etc. etc.

But once Veronica was completely unconscious in her stroller again, and Regina looked rather tired herself, Emma decided to break up the party.

,,Hey, Regina, Ronica looks like she's about to fall out of the stroller. Don't you think it's about time we headed back?"

Regina nodded and shot Emma a grateful and mouthed a "thank you" only Emma and Henry saw, and the young sniggered quietly into his coffee.

,,Bye guys," Emma said as she pushed Veronica's stroller with one hand, and wrapped her other arm around Regina.

,,Bye, honey," Snow said and blew Veronica a kiss and smiled widely at Regina who nodded stoically.

,,Thank you," Regina said as they walked towards the mansion. ,,I didn't know how to tell her I was tired without being rude."

,,It's ok," Emma grinned. ,,Happy to assist you."

,,She's gonna be in complete "wedding mode" from now, isn't she?" Regina half-smirked and looked back at the diner.

,,Probably." Emma nodded. ,,Is that alright?" she didn't want this to bring back any uncomfortable flashbacks for Regina.

But Emma just chuckled a little and squeezed Emma's hip. ,,I _am_ capable of separating things, Emma."

,,Good. Just let me know if anything changes, okay?"

,,Okay."

The last thing Emma wanted, was to remind Regina of her first marriage, but it was important to her to "check in" and make sure that Regina was still alright. She didn't know much about Regina's first marriage. Only the things Regina had told her. Which were very few. She had considered to ask Mary Margaret, but the blonde always reminded herself that Snow had been a child, then a rather shielded teenager. Her knowledge about the king and Regina's marriage was probably limited.

And Regina's official mantra was: "I killed him to get my revenge". Maybe it was her superpowers working, but Emma sensed that there maybe was more to the story than just that.

,,Are you gonna sleep outside tonight, dear?"

,,What?" Emma looked up. They had reached the mansion without she had noticed it.

,,That would require a tent. Or a bonfire. Or possibly both." Regina continued as she lifted Veronica from the stroller to bring her inside.

,,That actually sounds pretty cozy to me," Emma grinned, her dark ponderings forgotten. ,,But only if you joined me."

,,Never. Sleeping outside is a little too primitive for me," Regina quipped as both women went inside.

,,You are boring. Do you want me to tuck Veronica in for the night?"

,,No, that's alright. I'll do it."

,,But I want to," Emma protested. ,,I hardly see her as it is."

,,We'll do it together then," Regina said patiently.

Emma had no problem agreeing to that. They were greeted by Lady who wagged her tail like she hadn't seen them for several _years_ , and the cocker spaniel promptly followed them upstairs and into the nursery where Emma and Regina assisted one another in changing Veronica into her sleeper. The little girl didn't wake up when they change her, nor did she wake when Emma placed her in the crib.

,,She's getting so big," Emma sighed. Veronica was already seven months old, had her first tooth, and on the brink of crawling on her own. Before they knew it, she would start in school.

,,I know," Regina answered and shook her head. ,,If only I could forbid her to grow up. But I did try to forbid Henry that, and he didn't obey me, so I doubt she will."

Emma chuckled at the bad joke. ,,Stop growing, Ronica. We're not ready to celebrate your first birthday yet."

,,It feels like we adopted her yesterday."

,,Mhmm." _And look how damn far we've come since then._

They whispered their goodnights and sweet dreams to Veronica and then they retired to their own bedroom. Lady looked like she wanted to join them, but "no dogs allowed in the bedroom" Regina reminded the dog and closed the door in her face.

Emma felt a bit sorry for their dog, but she doubted Lady would mourn the rejection for very long. The cocker spaniel would most likely return to the nursery and sleep on the floor in there. She often did that. Extremely protective of Veronica, as she was. And neither Emma nor Regina had any problems with letting her sleep in there. Emma found it strangely safe to know that Lady was watching over their daughter and would alarm them if anything was wrong.

Regina switched the baby monitor on and went into the bathroom to prepare for the night. When she came back, Emma did the same. It had been quite a long day, she thought to herself as she brushed her teeth. But for some reason, she wasn't feeling very tired. Her body felt like it was buzzing with adrenaline or something like that. Maybe it was the "aftershocks" of having proposed that lingered. Either way, she felt completely high when she returned to the bedroom, dressed in one of her pajamas.

Regina was already in bed, but she wasn't sleeping. She looked just as wide awake as Emma felt.

The blonde smiled as she slid into bed next to Regina. No matter what, she would never get used to the plush softness of their bed.

Regina wrapped an arm around her, as Emma slid closer. ,,Are you tired?"

,,Mmm, not really," Emma admitted. ,,Why?"

,,Do you feel like celebrating out engagement?" Regina asked plainly, like she was offering Emma a soda from the fridge.

Oh. _Oh_! _Yes, absolutely_!

,,I think a celebration is in order," Emma grinned, excitement and anticipation already burning in her stomach.

,,I was hoping you would say that." Regina said huskily as she graceful climbed on top of Emma and straddled her.

 _Paradise here I come…._

 _ **To Be Continued..**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 11.01**

,,When do you think mommy is gonna be back?" Emma asked the baby she was currently entertaining on the floor.

,,Blaaa," said Veronica and flapped her hands.

,,Yeah. I think so too," Emma giggled and waved the rattle in Veronica's face. The baby flapped her hands, trying to grab it, but Emma wasn't about to let her have it just yet. This was great training for her muscles.

,,Do you miss mommy?" Emma asked as Veronica outstretched her little arms once more.

,,Daah." Was Veronica's response. She didn't appear to be missing Regina very much, but….

,, _I_ miss her," Emma told the baby.

Veronica gurgled.

,,Yeah, I know. I miss her too much all the time." Emma sniggered.

The reason for Regina's absence was actually quite simple. She happened to be at Zelena's, telling her about the engagement. She had wanted to bring both Emma and Veronica with her, but on this particular morning, Veronica had woken up with a bit of a sniffle, so Emma had said she would stay at home and watch her instead, and asked Regina to give Zelena her best.

,,I think you're feeling better, little bird," Emma said and put her hand on Veronica's forehead. She didn't seem warm anymore. She had been a bit warm this morning, but it would appear to be false alarm.

Emma's lips curved into a smile. Veronica looked awfully quite today, all cozy in her little bear suit, complete with ears and a tail.

,,Cutest baby ever, you are," Emma said. ,,We ought to take some pictures of you."

And so she did. The blonde quickly fetched "Roni's" camera from upstairs. She was briefly sucked into the memories about another life when she happened upon the pictures from Seattle. But then she pulled herself together, tearing her gaze away from Roni, and called upon Lady:

,,Come here, Ladybug! It's picture time."

Lady, the ever-patient cocker spaniel, willingly posed with Veronica, and the results were probably the cutest pictures in human history.

Veronica squealed, and Lady wagged her tail at the sound. And the wagging tail was apparently too much to handle for Veronica, because she suddenly started pushing herself forward, using both her arms and legs in the quest to get close enough to the wagging tail.

,,Oh my god," Emma exclaimed and instantly grabbed the camera to film the event. ,,Oh my god! Ronica, you're _crawling_!"

And indeed, she was. And crawling rather fast, that is. Lady yapped in surprise when the baby reached out and tugged at her tail.

,,Don't pull Lady's tail, sweetie." Emma said gently and patted the couch. Lady elegantly jumped up and curled into a ball on the couch. There she was safe from little tail pullers.

,,We won't tell Regina, won't we?" Emma said conspiratorially to the dog.

Lady rubbed her head against Emma's arm.

Veronica was only disappointed to haven been robbed of her "toy" for a moment. Turned out it was much more entertaining to crawl around in the living room, so Emma kept recording the event. Regina wouldn't be happy about having missed out on this, but at least the event was recorded for her to see.

,,You are so good at crawling, little bird," Emma praised. ,,Such a clever baby. It won't be long before you start walking around, just you wait and see."

But Emma knew that was an overstatement. It would still be long before Veronica would take her first steps. Luckily. Emma would like her to stay a baby for as long as possible. The thought of her growing up some day was impossible.

Veronica babbled away. Emma loved how she was always so responsive to her and Regina's voice.

,,I love you," she told her daughter.

,,Daaah."

,,I _daah_ you," Emma joked and sniggered at her own cleverness.

Suddenly, Lady started wagging her tail in a particular way, and her ears moved forwards.

 _Oh._ The Regina-signal. Emma could spot this signal from a mile away. In about two seconds or so, Regina would come through the door, Emma would bet her entire bank account.

And she was absolutely right. The front door opened, and Veronica squealed when Regina appeared in the hall, discarding her coat and slipping her heels off.

,,Is that mommy? Is it?" Emma asked in a high-pitched voice to excite Veronica even more.

Another ten seconds passed, and then, from the hall: ,,Emma?"

 _Oh, I love that so much_. Emma loved it when Regina asked for her as the first thing when she came home. Almost like she wanted to make sure, the blonde was still there.

 _Duh. Of course I am. I'm always here_. ,,In the living room," she called back.

Regina came into the living room and scooped Veronica into her arms as the first thing. Then she gave Emma's cheek a light pet, and stretched a hand out to scratch Lady's head, but narrowed her eyes at where the dog was currently positioned.

,,You don't have to bent the rules just because I'm not here, dear." The brunette said sternly.

,,No dogs on the couch, Lady." Emma immediately parroted.

Lady didn't respond in any way to that.

,,Great. Now she'll look sad every time I tell her no," Regina said and rolled her eyes. ,,You are spoiling her, miss Swan."

,,I'm not," Emma tried to deny, but feared that she didn't have a very good defense here.

,,And she's getting bigger too," Regina continued. ,,You are overfeeding her."

,,Or maybe she just had a romantic run-in with Pongo?" Emma suggested innocently.

Regina's eyes darkened. ,,If our daughter weren't here, I would have told you what kind of _run-ins_ that remark just cost you."

,,Please say you're joking."

Regina simply pursed her lips and didn't answer.

,,Veronica crawled." Emma said, to steer away from that subject, and hopefully make Regina forget all about it.

Now Regina's eyes widened. ,,She did _what_? When did she do that?!"

,,About five minutes ago."

Regina's face fell with disappointment. ,,And I missed it! God damnit, I should have stayed home instead…"

,,I filmed it," Emma soothed. ,,The recording is right here on the camera."

,,Thank you for doing that. That was very clever of you," Regina praised and flashed Emma exactly what she had hoped for. A beaming smile full of affection.

,,A milestone. I knew how important it is to you," Emma shrugged modestly.

,,Thank you _so_ much," Regina said and Emma found herself to be rewarded with a kiss on the cheek.

Regina promptly watched the recording several times and smiled every time. Her eyes were shining with pride over Veronica's milestone.

 _I'm so fucking happy I get to have all this with her_. Sometimes, Emma was still amazed that things had actually worked out between them, bearing in mind how chaotic everything had been when they came back from Hyperion Heights.

,,What did Zelena say about the engagement?" Emma asked as Regina finally put the camera away.

,,She congratulated both of us. And then she teased me a little."

,,About what?"

,,Apparently, she found it funny that I was "running into the sunset with the Savior" as she put it."

Emma laughed. ,,I actually like that description. Sounds awfully romantic."

,,Mhmm, I guess it does. And then she told me to warn you."

,,Oh?" Emma raised an eyebrow. ,,About what?"

,,She said, and I'm quoting: "That if she ever found out you were fucking with me, she would personally find you and kill you with her bare hands"."

It was too tempting. Emma couldn't resist it. It would be a crime to resist. ,,Well, then I'm afraid she have to kill me, because I am _very much_ fuc…"

,,Don't you dare finish that sentence," Regina warned, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.

,,How did you manage to keep a straight face when she told you that?"

,,I didn't," Regina admitted and put Veronica down on the floor again. ,,I think I laughed quite a bit. That seemed to traumatize her."

,,Wonder why," Emma grinned. ,, _I_ happen to find it quite nice when we…"

,,Yes, you certainly never lack enthusiasm," Regina interrupted and smirked and flashed Emma a crooked smile.

,,Do you think Ronica would be traumatized if I kissed you right now?" Emma inquired and moved closer to Regina, putting a hand on her knee.

,,I don't think she would notice," Regina said, glancing towards Veronica who seemed awfully fascinated by her own hands right now.

Emma didn't need to be encouraged further and captured Regina's lips in a soft kiss.

,,Mmm," Regina breathed into the kiss, and Emma heard her mutter something she couldn't quite make out.

,,What? What did you say?" the blonde asked as she broke the kiss.

,,I said I like being engaged," Regina said softly and entwined their fingers. ,,Feels a hell of a lot better than I would have expected."

,,I'm glad," Emma smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Regina let out another contend sigh and freed her hand to reach up and cup Emma's cheek instead.

Emma felt like she was melting away at the touch. Even the tiniest of touches could make her yearn for more immediately. _Ohh, I love this so damn much_.

,,Emma, I was wondering if you want to… Oh. Oops. My bad."

The two women broke apart again, and Emma was less than pleased when she found her mother standing in the living room, looking rather sheepish and pink cheeked.

 _What, she's breaking and entering now_? _I can't even kiss my fiancée in peace anymore_? _Great. Just great._

,,Mom…" Emma said, completely confused over the surprise visit. ,,What, uh..?"

,,I should have knocked. Or called."

,,Yes, that would have spared you the vision of me kissing your daughter," Regina drawled and raised an eyebrow.

,,I think I'll live," Snow shrugged. ,,You're gonna marry her after all."

,,Am I?" Regina teased. ,,Funny. That completely slipped my mind."

,,Oh god," Emma interrupted before Regina sassed Snow into oblivion. ,,You are not here with _more_ wedding magazines, are you?"

,,Well, actually.." Snow grinned and rummaged through her purse.

 _Yep. Definitely here with more damned wedding magazines. Again. When is this gonna end_?

Regina looked like she was on the brink of protesting, but Snow quickly said: ,,And don't worry, Regina. There are plenty of dresses in other colors."

Regina softened at that and willingly scooted; letting Snow sit down on the couch, flipping through the wedding magazines.

Emma had a feeling that Regina was secretly enjoying this. To plan the wedding with Snow. _This time it's done the right way_.

The only thing that bothered the blonde, was that their magnificent kissing session had been interrupted.

,,So, _when_ are you gonna get married?" Snow asked about two hours later, when Emma was starting to feel slightly color blind from looking at all the different dresses.

 _Ah, the million dollar question_. The question that seemed to be on everyone's lips. Because of course it had slipped out that the Savior and the Mayor were tying the knot.

,,And where?" Snow asked.

,,I don't know, but the idea of eloping seems more and more appealing," Regina quipped.

,,Don't you dare," Snow said sternly, and then teasingly added: ,,Save the eloping until the honeymoon."

Regina didn't seem pleased with that little teasing remark, but Emma's mind immediately went blank for anything else but the word " _honeymoon_ ". And she very quickly started imagined herself and Regina somewhere remote, a mountain top, a forest, a beach, even a hotel room, as long as there were no interruptions.

 _Alone with Regina faraway from Storybrooke_. _Sounds like heaven to me_. _I can hardly wait_. Of course it would be hard to be away from Veronica, but Emma knew that she would be in the very best of hands with her grandparents.

,,Emma? Emma?"

The blonde blinked. Snow waved her fingers in front of her to get her attention.

,,What?" she said disorientated. She had way too busy thinking about stuff she had no business thinking about when her mother was present.

But quite fortunate, Snow remained oblivious when she asked: ,,When are going to get married?"

,,Uh…" _as soon as possible, please_.

,,I'm thinking within the year," Regina answered calmly as she nonchalantly draped an arm around Emma's shoulder.

,,Sounds very reasonable to me," Emma nodded.

,,You're not wasting time," Snow commented and smiled a little.

,,Tell that to the past six years," Emma interjected and picked Veronica up, placing her on her lap. Regina had literally been right there in front of her the whole time. Talk about not seeing the forest for all the trees.

,,Uh, I'm _fairly_ certain you wouldn't have wanted to be with me back then," Regina said almost nonchalantly. ,,And you probably wouldn't have survived it either."

,,Touché," Emma grinned.

Snow rolled her eyes at their bad jokes and proceed to chat on about dresses.

Emma exchanged a knowing look with Regina. This had no end.

 **To Be Continued…**


	12. Chapter 12

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 12**

As an impulse, Emma knocked on the door to Regina's office instead of bursting in. Regina could be having a conversation over the phone.

,,Yes! Come in!"

Emma frowned. Her fiancée sounded awfully _sour_ and snappy. Irritated. Hmm. Regina hadn't sounded like that in a good while, and the blonde's stomach immediately cramped with anxiety as she poked her head inside the office.

But when Regina looked up from her paperwork and saw Emma, her expression immediately softened, and she flashed Emma one of the warm smiles that were only meant for Emma.

 _Phew_. _Had me worried for a second_.

,,I'm really sorry about that, dear, but I thought it was your mother," Regina said as she rose slightly to give Emma a light kiss on the cheek.

,,Has she been here?" Emma asked and raised an eyebrow.

,,Been pestering me all morning," Regina said darkly. ,,I don't know how many times I counted to ten before I answered her questions."

,,Is she still alive?"

,,Very much so."

,,The method worked then," Emma sniggered and dumped a lunch bag on Regina's desk. ,,It's kale salad."

,,Thank you. I could use that after the morning I had," Regina half-quipped and digged into the salad.

,,What did she even want?"

Regina swallowed a piece of salad before answering. ,,The same thing as usual. Discuss " _The Wedding_."

,,Still trying to talk you into a white dress then?"

,,Mhmm. She keeps saying that "off white and cream isn't the same thing as white". Bullshit."

Emma grinned as Regina's sudden use of one of Roni's favorite curse words. ,,Did you tell her it was _bullshit_?"

Regina took another bite of salad. ,,No. I said I would bear it in mind and then I _thanked_ her."

,,Good for you."

,,The amount of patience I have with that woman is quite extraordinary." Regina deadpanned, and then, looking around in the office: ,,Where's our daughter?"

,,Ella kidnapped her, so I figured I would bring you lunch instead of doing housework," Emma grinned cheekily.

Regina's cellphone buzzed, and the brunette groaned as she read the text. ,,Zelena. _Again_."

,,And what does she want then?"

,,To know "where the ceremony is taking place"." Regina huffed and snapped: ,,For gods sake, we've been engaged for five minutes, and people are already flooding me with questions!"

,,Actually, we've been engaged for a month." Emma quietly corrected.

,,Why aren't people nagging _you_?" Regina mused loudly. ,,It's your wedding too."

Emma had no answer for that, and it was obvious that Regina hadn't expected one either, for she went on: ,,I'm gonna need at least three weeks of recovery after the wedding."

And for that, Emma had an answer: ,,That's what the honeymoon is for, Madam Mayor."

Regina's eyebrow rose and her lips curled into a crooked smile. ,,Knowing you, it's hardly gonna be a _recovery_."

,,Knowing _me_?" Emma retorted. ,,You're the one who's insatiable."

,,Is that a problem for you, dear?" Regina answered, not even bothering to deny it.

,,Nah," Emma grinned. ,,Not really."

,,I thought so. But if you ever _do_ have a complain, do let me know," Regina drawled.

Emma scoffed. _A complain_. The thought alone was ridiculous.

Regina shot the paperwork on her desk a deadly stare. ,,Maybe I should just magic those away and pretend I've never received them in the first place."

,,What are all those anyway?"

Regina sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. ,,Town budget. Request from Belle about "giving the library a makeover". Request from the dwarves about wanting _electricity_ down in the mines."

Emma snickered. ,,Is that even possible?"

,,I have absolutely no idea."

,,So, all of this," Emma touched the biggest pile of papers. ,,Is the town budget only?"

,,Yes. It's gonna be a long day." Regina said darkly.

 _So it would seem_. One of those nights where Regina wouldn't come home until Emma had gone to bed. The blonde was still a little appalled by that, but at least Regina wasn't pulling all-nighter's, something she had mentioned doing before receiving Henry's cry for help.

,,Go for a walk with me?" Emma suggested. ,,At least you've been outside today then."

,,I'm in," Regina chuckled.

The brunette quickly ate the rest of her salad and put on her coat. Emma took her hand as they left the town hall and walked down Main Street.

Weather was changing fast now, it was definitely Autumn. The air was cold and crisp and the leaves on the trees a deep shade of orange and red.

,,Don't you ever freeze only wearing that?" Regina asked and looked at Emma's trademark red leather jacket.

,,Not really," Emma shrugged. ,,It's actually warmer than you expect."

,,Hmm."

They strolled along, neither of them having an actual purpose or a place to go, but eventually they ended up sitting closely together on a bench.

And maybe the bench _was_ a bit cold, but it didn't really matter when Regina had wrapped her arm around Emma.

,,Where would you like to go?" Regina asked a bit out of the blue when they had sat in comfortable silence for a while.

,,Pardon?"

,,For our honeymoon. Where would you like to go?"

,,Oh. Uhmm.." Emma paused, frowned, and then: ,,Can we just go… anywhere?"

,,Anywhere you want," Regina said and flashed her a smile.

Emma considered that for a moment. Her first honeymoon had been on the Jolly Rogers, just sailing around in the waters surrounding Storybrooke.

At that time, she had found it to be awfully romantic.

But today she knew she could and should have asked for just a bit more than that.

She wasn't sure though. ,,Is there anywhere _you_ would like to go? A place you want to see?"

,,Hmm. I find it to be a bit intimidating," Regina confessed and chuckled a little. ,,The outside world, no limitations whatsoever. I've never really traveled that much, apart from a few visits to Boston and New York…"

,,An island," Emma interrupted, and voiced one of her little, secret dreams. ,,A faraway island somewhere."

,,That sounds a bit like Hawaii to me," Regina commented.

Emma's eyes widened. _Hawaii_. ,,Can we actually do that? Like, for real?"

,,We," Regina said, turning around and cupping Emma's cheek lovingly. ,,Can do whatever you want to, Emma. Just say the word and it's yours."

Emma put her hand over Regina's. ,,Would you be alright with Hawaii?"

,,Hmm, let's see," Regina said jokingly. ,,Eternal sunshine, crystal blue water, _you_ in a bathing suit. Yes, I am _definitely_ alright with Hawaii, miss Swan."

Emma chuckled and tried very hard not to blush over the "bathing suit"-remark.

,,Well, that's settled then," Regina said satisfied. ,,One less thing for your mother to ask about."

Emma's eyebrow rose towards her hairline. ,,Seriously? She's asked about _that_ too?"

,,Oh yes, indeed."

,,But _why_? What benefit could she possibly get from knowing that?" Emma continued, half-embarrassed, half-amused over her mother's prying questions.

,,Perhaps she wants to come with us to chaperone," Regina said dryly. ,,To make sure I'm not attempting anything wanton towards you.."

,,But isn't that the whole point with a honeymoon?" Emma said, going along on the joke.

,,Are you giving me permission to be wanton towards you?" Regina exclaimed. ,,I'm shocked, _princess_."

,,Shut up," Emma laughed. ,,I'm no princess."

,,No, I guess you're not. Not the regular kind, that is."

,,Was that an insult?"

,,Yes it was, Emma, just Emma."

,,Roni." Emma accused softly and leaned in to brush her lips against Regina's. She could hear it in the way Regina spoke. Her bartender alter ego was bubbling just below the surface, and Emma didn't mind one bit.

,,What can I get ya?" Regina jokingly murmured and absentmindedly played with a lock of Emma's golden hair.

,,Is she coming too?" Emma inquired cheekily.

,,What?"

,,Is Roni going with us on the honeymoon?"

Regina's smile turned a bit more wicked now. ,,Perhaps she'll make a surprise visit."

Emma grinned and made a mental note to herself about packing plenty of "Roni's" clothes along with Regina's.

She could already picture it. She and Regina on some beach with perfect, crystal blue water and white sand. The sun shining. Regina laughing and being so damn happy and beautiful and carefree in the sunlight.

After a while, Regina declared that she had to go back to the office. Emma pouted, but didn't protest, and they parted ways, Regina towards the office, and Emma went back to the mansion to actually do some housework.

That included fixing up the nursery a bit. Veronica's room was a big mess of toys lying everywhere, and clothes placed at random places.

As opposed to her fiancée, Emma preferred to fix it by hand instead of using magic. She liked it. Found it to be quite cozy actually.

Then Emma went into Regina's study. As opposed to the nursery, that place always remained spotless and perfect. How she managed to keep it so tidy in here, were quite the mystery, since she always spent so much time in here. Too much time.

Emma brushed a speck of imaginary dust off the picture frames standing on Regina's desk. The blonde smiled widely at the framed photograph of herself standing there. It was definitely one of the best pictures taken of her. Then there were pictures of Henry, and Veronica. A few of them together. A framed one of all three of them together. Henry, Emma and Veronica. A smaller one from Seattle. Emma was glad that Regina had chosen to get one of those framed. That was definitely a huge part of their story.

Emma stopped with the damp cloth hovering in the air when she reached the framed picture of Robin Hood. She didn't have the faintest problem with him being a part of the picture collection. Regina's second love was equally as important as her third.

Emma knew she owed Robin a hell of a lot, and this wasn't the first time she was grateful for him and what he had been to Regina when the brunette had needed it the most. Without Robin, Regina would probably never had been willing to accept her feelings for Emma. He was the one who had taught her to love again.

The next picture in line, was also the last picture, and definitely Emma's favorite. And most likely Regina's too. Otherwise she wouldn't have bought a fucking _gold_ frame for it. Hella expensive. But Emma could see why this picture had earned the gold frame. It was taken the day after Emma had proposed, and it was of both Regina and Emma, beaming at the camera. Regina had an arm around Emma, and Emma was resting her head on Regina's shoulder.

 _We definitely need to take a buttload of pictures on the honeymoon_.

Emma's cleaning session was interrupted when she heard Ella and Veronica downstairs. The blonde quickly abandoned the pictures on the desk and went downstairs to greet her baby and Ella.

,,Have she been good?" Emma asked as she scooped Veronica into her arms and dropped a kiss on here cheek.

,,A dream," Ella smiled.

Veronica yawned.

,,I should let you steal her more often," Emma quipped. Veronica looked about ready for her nap.

,,She's had a very busy day," Ella chuckled. ,,It involved playtime on the floor with Lucy and watching Henry for at least an hour while he tried to beat Lucy at Playstation."

,,Who won?"

,,Henry suffered a grim defeat." Ella said and grinned.

Emma gasped in mock horror. ,,No way! Has he finally met his match?"

,,It would seem so. I better get back, I promised Lucy we could go to Granny's and have cocoa. See you later, Emma. Give my best to Regina."

,,I will. See you, Ella."

The young woman left, and Emma chuckled quietly as she put Veronica to bed in her crib. She was still getting used to having a daughter in law at her own age. Time was so fucked up in Storybrooke.

The rest of that day passed rather quietly. Emma fed Veronica her bottle when she woke up, bundled her up in her stroller and then took both her and Lady for a walk. Once she came home, she played on the floor with the baby for a good while. Veronica was getting better and better at crawling, and she squealed loudly every time she managed to catch Lady's tail between her chubby little fingers, a game Lady didn't seem to fond of, but nevertheless put up with.

After playtime, it was dinnertime, and Emma fed Veronica a small bowl of the baby food she was just starting to eat, all while feeding herself too. The baby still had a bottle of milk to supply afterwards, but if would only be a matter of time before she wouldn't need the milk anymore.

,,You're growing up too fast, little bird," Emma said and brushed a dark strand of hair away from her daughters face.

,,Daah," Veronica gurgled and pushed away the fork Emma was holding up to her mouth. Dinnertime was apparently over for now.

They huddled together on the couch. Emma, Veronica and Lady, and Emma sang a verse or two of "Sweet Child o'mine" for the baby. That little trick always seemed to work, and thus, also today. Veronica's eyelids soon started drooping and fluttered once. Then she closed them, yawned, and fell asleep as a little warm bundle in Emma's arms.

Technically, the blonde could put the child to bed now, but she decided to wait a while instead. She loved when Veronica slept in her arms. It gave her a sense of peace. And it made her feel that Veronica was completely save right now.

Of course, Emma knew that Veronica was safe no matter what. Her sleeping in the blonde's arms didn't make much of a difference. Veronica would always be safe no matter what.

Emma only surrendered and carried Veronica upstairs once her arms started to hurt and cramp slightly. Lady promptly followed her and curled up on the nursery floor.

,,Sweet dreams, you guys," Emma snickered as she left the door half open.

Emma ended up on the couch again. It had been a bit of a long day, and she was getting a little tired. But she didn't feel like going to bed just yet. She would stay up and wait until Regina came home. She sometimes did that, even though Regina had told her not to. She didn't want Emma to miss out on any sleep on her behalf, the brunette had said. But Emma suspected, that it was because Regina still wasn't used to having someone waiting for her to get home at night.

The blonde switched the television on and browsed through the channels until she finally settled on Doctor Who. She had already watched the episode at least a hundredth times, but this was Doctor Who. You don't switch away from that.

Emma stayed awake for exactly a half an hour, then she fell asleep and didn't wake up until she felt soft hands caressing her cheek, and a voice murmuring: ,,Come on, Swan. You can't sleep there. It will ruin your back, trust me."

Emma slowly opened her eyes, and saw Regina standing looming over her.

,,Did you finish all your paperwork?" the blonde croaked, voice raspy from sleep.

,,Mhmm. And I've just checked on Veronica. She's still sleeping."

,,Good. She had a long day."

,,I think you did too." Regina said softly. ,,The nursery looks absolutely beautiful."

,,You owe me one for that," Emma grinned and tried to shake the last remain of sleep from her body.

,,Yes I do. Tomorrow you must tell me what I can give you in return," Regina said as she hauled Emma up on her feet.

,,You know, I could think of one or two things.." Emma chuckled and cursed herself for being so damn tired right now.

,,Oh yeah?" Regina grinned rather overbearingly as she guided Emma upstairs.

,,Mhmm.." Emma drawled.

,,I think you're overtired, dear."

,,Sadly, yes." Emma complained as she shrugged her clothes off and climbed under the covers.

,,Go back to sleep," Regina instructed. ,,I'll be back in a second."

But Emma stayed awake until Regina came back from the bathroom and changed into a pajama and climbed into bed next to the blonde.

Emma smiled sleepily as Regina snuggled into her and rested a hand on her hip.

 _I don't think there's a better way to go to sleep…_

 _ **To Be Continued..**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 13:**

Discussing the wedding with Henry could sometimes be much more pleasant than discussing it with her mother.

He was excited, yes, but in a much more relaxed way. Plus, his voice didn't go all squeal-y every time Emma said the word "wedding".

They were currently sitting at Granny's, having lunch together. Emma had made the "puppy dog routine" and had persuaded Granny to allow Lady to stay inside with them. Emma couldn't bear the thought of tying the poor animal outside. It was too cold, and Granny had finally caved in and allowed the cocker spaniel to come inside.

,,Hey, Ma, I have a suggestion for where you guys can have the ceremony," Henry said and grinned.

,,Okay…" Emma said hesitantly and braced herself for whatever crazy idea her son had come up with. He might be an adult now, but he was still "The Truest Believer" and definitely a believer in "10 outrageous ways my moms could get married".

,,Oh relax." Henry scoffed. ,,It's not that bad."

,, _I'll_ be the judge of that, kid. Tell me then."

,,Well.. you could get married in the garden," Henry suggested. ,,Underneath mom's apple tree."

,,That's…" Emma considered it. That actually wasn't the worst idea she had heard, and definitely better than Mary Margaret's idea about transporting everybody back to the Enchanted Forest and get married there. She claimed that "it would be good for Regina having a better memory of getting married there", but neither Emma nor Regina had been a fan of that idea. Regina had said she was done getting married in the Enchanted Forest, and Emma had found it to be a horribly sentimental idea.

But Henry's idea… that didn't sound bad. Not bad at all. Getting married underneath the very same apple tree Emma had cut down in rage all those years ago. That was a bit symbolic and sentimental, but in the subtle way.

,,Admit it," Henry grinned triumphantly. ,,It's an _awesome_ idea."

,,Mhmm, not bad, kid." Emma said. ,,But obviously, Regina have to give it the green light too."

,,So _ask_ her," Henry insisted and snatched Emma's phone from the table and pushed it into her hand.

So Emma obeyed her son's demand and promptly texted her fiancée: " **Henry just came up with a great idea to where we could get married**."

The reply came within fifteen seconds.

" _Do I need a cigarette for that_?"

Emma frowned. " **You wouldn't happen to have a secret stash of cigarettes in your office, right?** "

" _Of course not. What is the suggestion then_?"

Emma quickly made a mental note to check Regina's office when she could. And get close enough to Regina to check her breath.

" **He suggested outside. Under the apple tree.** "

" _Oh.._ "

" **Oh as in "oh no he didn't", or oh as in "that's not a bad suggestion"?"**

" _Oh as in "we should do that_ "."

" **Seriously**?"

" _Absolutely. If you want to, that is_."

" **I'm in**." Emma quickly answered and grinned. It would seem that they finally had a location.

" _Wonderful. Tell your irritating mother that's settled then._ "

" **Will do. Are you coming to lunch**?"

" _No, sorry. Can't today_."

" **Why not**?"

" _Wouldn't you like to know_ …"

" **What does that mean**?"

" _Enjoy your lunch, miss Swan_."

Emma groaned as she put the phone away. She really hated when Regina was cryptic. Her brain always went into overdrive and made up insane stuff.

,,Didn't she like the idea?" Henry asked and frowned at the expression on his blonde mother's face.

,,No, she did. We have the location, kid, but she got a little cryptic with me."

,,How?"

,,She wouldn't tell me what she was doing," Emma pouted.

,,Oh.." Henry grinned.

Emma narrowed her eyes. ,, _You_ know what she's doing, don't you?"

,,Yep."

,,And you wouldn't dream of telling me?"

,,Nope," Henry grinned shamelessly and took a sip of his coffee.

,,Henry," Emma complained. ,,That's not fair, I tell you _everything_!"

,,But this isn't my secret to tell," Henry said and ignored Emma's whiny tone.

,,Seriously? Come on!"

Henry lowered his voice. ,,It's a _surprise_."

,,Oh." Emma perked up at that. ,,For _me_? Does Regina have a surprise for me?"

,,My lips are sealed," Henry said sternly. ,,I've already said enough."

,,Spoilsport," Emma muttered and scratched Lady's ear.

But Emma was forced to wait until Regina came home later that afternoon. And by that time, the blonde was going crazy. What, _what_ was the surprise? This was definitely a new level of torture.

Finally, she saw Regina coming up the pathway with Veronica in the stroller. Emma forced herself to wait patiently until the brunette had lifted the baby out of the stroller and shrugged her coat off.

,,Hey," Regina said as she came inside with Veronica in her arms.

,,Hi." Emma greeted, and then: ,,What have you guys been up to?"

,,We went for a lovely walk in the forest, and then Veronica assisted me with a little thing," Regina said nonchalantly and kissed Veronica on the cheek. ,,Someone babbled away. I do believe she's going to say her first word very soon."

That threw Emma off for a moment. Both she and Regina were very excited about Veronica's babbling, it was obvious that the baby soon would begin stringing words together. And Emma would give everything to hear a "mama".

But then the blonde remembered why she had spend the afternoon being crazily impatient, so she said: ,,What kind of "little thing" was that, then?"

Regina smirked. ,,Someone's curious?"

,,Maybe."

The brunette grinned shamelessly. ,,Have you been going crazy all day long, dear? Climbing the walls with impatience?"

,,Cut it out," Emma warned and rolled her eyes. ,,And just tell me already."

,,I'm sorry, miss Swan, but you'll have to contain yourself until I tucked Veronica in."

And Emma was once again forced to wait until Regina had lulled their daughter to sleep upstairs. And boy, was the brunette taking her sweet time with it. For gods sake, she was singing every last verse of "Sweet Child O'mine" even though two was enough.

 _She's so doing it on purpose_.

Finally, after something that felt like twelve hundredth years, Regina came back downstairs, looking very playful.

,,So?" Emma said, not even bothering to hide her impatience.

,,Curious, miss Swan?" Regina drawled.

 _Seriously_?! ,,Stop being a pain in the ass and tell me already."

,,Profanity won't get you what you want, Emma."

,, _Fine_. Will you _please_ let me in on this little secret of yours?"

,,Oh, absolutely," Regina beamed and reached within her blazer pocket.

Emma stared as Regina presented her with what looked like a ring box.

,,You've already given me a ring, so I figured I would give you one too." Regina shrugged. ,,That way we're even."

,,You didn't have to.." Emma began, but words left her when Regina unceremoniously opened the box, giving Emma the first glimpse of the ring.

And it wasn't just any old ring. It was made of gold, no doubt, but it was the figures upon the ring that fascinated Emma the most. It was a little, red apple carved out of a ruby. And next to the apple was a swan, made of the purest gold.

,,Something to represent the both of us," Regina shrugged. ,,Do you like it?"

,,I _love_ it," Emma grinned, happy and slightly overwhelmed by the thought Regina had put into the ring.

,,Good. I'm glad." Regina said satisfied.

,,Put it on for me?" Emma asked innocently, earning an eyeroll from the brunette.

But nevertheless, Regina quickly took the ring out of the box and gently slipped it on Emma's finger.

Emma spread her fingers to admire the ring. It really was a beautiful ring. No doubt the prettiest jewel she had ever owned.

Then she saw Regina smirk slightly as she looked at the ring on Emma's finger. ,,You're mine now," the brunette stated plainly.

 _Oh, really_? _That was rather possessive of you, Madam Mayor_. _But I think I like that_.

,,Is that so?" Emma asked silkily.

,,Yes," Regina hissed softly, arms winding around Emma's waist. ,,Off limit. Not available. Taken. _Mine_."

That last little "mine" was enough to make goosebumps appear on Emma's skin, and she silently cursed herself for being to responsive all the time.

But Regina seemed delighted, and chuckled softly as she kissed Emma.

And obviously, Emma really didn't mind that one bit. Her fingers slipped into Regina's hair. It was getting longer, the blonde noted. Pretty soon it would brush against the top of Regina's shoulders again.

,,You have _great_ hair," Emma stated as soon as Regina broke the kiss and brushed her fingertips against the blonde's cheekbones.

That elicited a chuckle from Regina. ,,Are you drunk, miss Swan?"

,,No." Emma protested. ,,You _do_ have great hair."

,,And your compliments keeps getting stranger,"

Emma opened her mouth to protest again, but Regina continued:

,,Speaking of getting drunk.."

,,Yeah?"

,,Zelena's been nagging me. She seems to think that a _bachelor party_ is appropriate." Regina wrinkled her nose.

Emma grinned. ,,Actually, it's _very_ appropriate. You are not gonna say no, are you?"

,,I think I might."

,,She won't be pleased about that."

,,My liver and head is still recuperating from all the drinks Roni consumed, so forgive me for not caring much," Regina scoffed.

That made Emma laugh. Her pretty, denim clad bartender had enjoyed a tremendous amount of alcohol, and Emma had seen her both drunk and hungovered more than once.

As if Regina was able to hear her thoughts, the brunette said: ,,And we all know how I am when I'm drunk."

,,Well, _I_ found you pretty funny," Emma stated and smiled cheekily. Roni had been a "stumbler". Couldn't even cross a flat surface without tripping.

,,Easy for you to laugh, you weren't the one with the bruises," Regina muttered.

,,I'm still saying you should have a bachelor party."

,,And what about _you_?"

,,I'm definitely having one," Emma said. Snow had more or less demanded that, there was no way out of it. ,,And you should too. You deserve it."

,,Deserve what, to end up with a terrible headache?"

,,No. That wasn't what I meant." Emma trailed off. She couldn't find a proper way to say that Regina deserved to experience every little aspect of preparing her wedding. However trivial she might find it.

She wasn't sure whether Regina knew what she was thinking, but the brunette's smile grew particularly soft, and she kissed Emma on the cheek, the way she always did it when she found the blonde to be exceptionally thoughtful.

,,Maybe I'll say yes to Zelena after all," the brunette softly mused.

,,Mhmm, I think you should."

Regina took Emma's hand again and entwined their fingers. ,,I'm glad you like the ring."

,,Never taking it off," Emma assured firmly, and saw a flashback of how Regina had grabbed her hand and enchanted her wedding ring when they left for Seattle to search after Henry.

Emma remembered how sick it had made her. How guilty and confused it had made her. And a few days later, when she had put two and two together, she had realized, it had been a desperate act on Regina's behalf. A reminder to herself that she couldn't have Emma.

 _Look where we are now_ …. Never in her wildest dreams, would Emma have pictured that they could end up here. Happily engaged, and raising their daughter. Like a real family.

Her little, sentimental moment was interrupted by a wail coming from the nursery.

Emma smiled as she followed Regina up the stairs to soothe their daughter. She wasn't complaining the slightest about being called back to this reality…

 **To Be Continued..**


	14. Chapter 14

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 14:**

Everything slowly falls into place. They "publicly" announces where the wedding is going to take place, (Snow gushes and calls it _incredibly romantic_ ), they book the tickets for the honeymoon, and they even manage to find a rather adorable little white dress for Veronica.

Now they just need the rings and their own dresses.

And as for the rings, that's pretty simple.

The dresses. Not so much.

Regina is still plainly refusing to wear white, and is leaning towards blue or purple, but Emma is still a bit unsure.

And the wedding isn't the only thing taking up their time anyway. Veronica is now eight months old, which equals lots of babbling, crawling around everywhere, and then there's the gradual introduction to baby food. Veronica seems to love it, and Regina has recovered Henry's old highchair, so Veronica is now "eating" with them at every meal.

But unfortunately, her sleeping schedule has completely shifted. So far, she's been an awesome sleeper, but now she's wide awake at night, and full of energy. Emma and Regina have to take turns in "entertaining" her during the night.

Maybe it's because she's sleep depraved, but Emma feels completely "zombie-like" at work. It's a grey and dark day, her body is aching, and her head keeps lolling back as she tries to do some of the paperwork lying in front of her.

And that's when the call comes in.

First, Emma spend two freaking hours in the darkened forest, looking for Pongo who has managed to run off again. Once she finally finds him, the blonde is cold, wet and shivering. And so is Pongo. But Archie is overly grateful when Emma returns with his precious dog, and she silently wonders how many times the Dalmatian will manage to run off without getting hurt. But then again, Lady made it through a portal, she jumped between realms without a scratch, so dogs are definitely resilient.

She barely makes it back to the station before the second call comes in.

It's Leroy, who makes her aware that a couple of teenage boys are currently busy graffitiing the buildings with less pretty words.

So Emma groaned, left the paperwork to Lily, grabbed her red leather jacket and headed out to put a stop to the bad boys bad hobby.

Most definitely easier said than done.

Storybrooke doesn't often deal with teenage-bullies, but these boys tested Emma's temperament, and she feels tempted to go all "Savior" on them and give them a blast of her magic.

But obviously, she couldn't do that. So she "borrowed" one of Regina's favorite expressions and scowls haughtily at the boys while she ushers them into the yellow bug.

Once back at the station, Emma made phone calls to said boys parents', who comes, full of apologies and picked up their sons.

,,You know, maybe we should put surveillance cameras up in that alley," Lily suggested and handed Emma half a bear claw.

,,I'm not sure there's room for that in the budget," Emma answered absentmindedly as she scribbled down the report about todays arrestment.

Lily grinned cheekily and said: ,,I'm sure you can think of _some_ way to persuade Regina to make a little room in the budget."

,,Or I could just _ask_ her," Emma rebutted, well aware that she sounded snappy. She's was so tired. Today had been a rather stressful day, and she feared it would end in a massive headache. She just wanted to go home.

But fate wasn't so kind to her, oh no, she had several hours left here, _and_ her jeans were still soaked. Unfortunately, she was yet to learn that magnificent drying spell Regina used to dry her own clothes.

Emma groaned and gritted her teeth as she bowed her head over the damn report again.

 _Yep, the universe is most definitely testing me today_ … there was nothing wrong with Emma's eyesight, but for a moment she damn well wished that was the case, for Maleficent, freaking _Maleficent_ had just stepped inside the sheriff's station.

,,How can I help you?" Emma said so very polite and even depraved herself to _smile_ at the tall blonde woman.

Maleficent coldly returned the smile. ,,I would like to borrow my daughter for a second, Savior."

The word was practically dripping with sarcasm, but Emma just smiled and nodded, calmly focusing on the report in front of her again.

Emma discreetly watched as Lily went outside with her dragon mother, and her head flooded with an inner monologue. _Some nerve that dragon had, showing up here_. _She could have just_ _called_ _Lily instead of showing up here_. Emma was well aware that she looked well... terrible right now, with her wet hair and runny mascara. Maleficent was a physical reminder of all the things Emma thought she wasn't. Tall. Elegant. Put together. Irritatingly _perfect_ with her golden hair hanging in loose curls. And those stupid suits she wore that made her look like a 1940's model.

Suddenly, Emma hated everything about Maleficent.

Mother and daughter came back inside the station, and Emma looked up. _What the hell is she coming back for_? _I'm busy and honestly, I don't want to talk to you_.

Then she became aware that Maleficent was looking at her. Or more specifically, looking at her hand. Emma looked at her hand and smirked to herself when she realized what Maleficent was looking at. She was looking at the ring, Regina had given Emma. The combined "apple and swan" ring.

Emma looked up. _Ha_! _Take that, dragon._

Maleficent returned Emma's fierce look when she said: ,,Do give my love to Regina."

,,I will," Emma said sweetly. _Back the hell off. You blew it, alright_? _time to give up._

,,When's the wedding gonna be?" Maleficent continued, ignoring Emma's tone.

,,Very soon." Emma said and nonchalantly added: ,,Regina is _very_ excited."

,,Is she indeed?" Maleficent answered, her voice coated with polite disbelief. ,,Last time I checked, she wasn't a fan of marriage."

,,Well, what can I say?" Emma drawled. ,,She just needed the right person to change her mind."

Maleficent's perfect eyebrows rose at that, and her blue eyes narrowed as she stared Emma down.

But Emma didn't flinch, and she was certainly not gonna duck her head at some dragon lady who had no business being here or asking about Regina in the first place. So the Savior calmly returned Maleficent's look, and didn't blink once.

And Maleficent lost the fight. The dragon almost sneered at Emma as she turned around and left the station.

Emma smiled triumphantly and muttered a quiet "ha!" to herself.

,,Did you just have a pissing contest with my mother?" Lily asked and raised her own eyebrow.

,,Yes," Emma said plainly. ,,I have a feeling she's gonna try to hit on my fiancée in the near future, and I don't like that."

,,Careful," Lily half-warned. ,,Staring contests with my mother usually ends badly for the opponent."

,,She had her chance," Emma sneered. ,,The battle's lost."

,,I'm sure Regina will be delighted to hear you are _battling_ over her," Lily deadpanned.

Emma considered it. Regina would either laugh her head off, or tell Emma that she should stop being silly. Most likely the last. And Emma knew that Regina didn't have feelings for Maleficent anymore, but she feared that Maleficent would use her weird dragon powers or whatever to get inside Regina's head.

Emma tried her very best to stop thinking about that stupid dragon for the rest of the day, and she had plenty of opportunity to think about other things. Because it turned into the busiest of days they had in a long while. Calls kept coming in about the graffiti, and the whole thing first ended when Emma and Lily ventured out in the cold to wash the profanity away.

It was safe to say that Emma was more than beat when she could finally head home. She had missed almost a whole _day_ with Veronica and Regina. _damn it_. Veronica had just reached the fun state where she babbled nonstop. How she could have so much energy during the night, was a mystery to Emma.

Lady wagged her tail when Emma came into the mansion, and the blonde bent down and patted the dog, scratching her ear.

,,Hey, Ladybug." Emma said tiredly, and flashed Regina a smile when the brunette came into the living room.

,,Long day?" Regina asked.

,,Yeah." Emma said truthfully.

,,I'm sorry to hear that. There's a bit of dinner left in the fridge."

,,Actually, I think I'm gonna head upstairs and lay down for a while. Sorry." Emma said and made a grimace. She felt terrible with being away all day only to return home and crash in the bedroom.

,,No need to apologize, dear. Veronica is spending a bit of time with Zelena and Robyn."

,,Okay." That explained why there was so quiet in the house.

Emma kissed Regina and went into the bedroom where she slipped out of her booths and leather jacket. Never had the bed looked more tempting. The blonde immediately slipped under the covers and tried to get comfortable.

But two things kept nagging her. The first one was the meeting with Maleficent. That really irritated her. And the other one was the severe lack of Regina. Emma had a hard time getting comfortable without the brunette, addicted as she was. But calling for her and ask her to join her, was too pathetic. Even for Emma. She couldn't do that.

Emma had barely finished the thought, before the bedroom door opened and Regina slipped inside.

The brunette said absolutely nothing as she quickly shrugged her blazer off, slipped her heels off and opened the first and second button in her blouse and laid down next to Emma.

 _Damn. She knows me so well already_.

Emma snuggled into Regina's side. ,,Thank you."

,,Anytime. Do you want to talk about it?" Regina asked and rested her hand on the small of Emma's back.

,,Nah. Just been a long day," Emma answered and closed her eyes.

This was nice. Really nice. Emma was beginning to feel a bit sleepy when she noticed how warm Regina's hand was on her back. Warm and soft. Not to mention the way her fingers circled the blonde's lower back and drew lazy patterns.

Something shifted within Emma and she tried to find out exactly what was happening right now, and what had happened to her drowsiness. It seemed to be have replaced by something very different. A slight _tingling_ somewhere low in her gut.

 _Oh, come on_ , _am I seriously getting turned on by_ _this_?

Oh yes, she was. That much was obvious when the tingling sensation spread to her crotch and quickly was accompanied by a particular wetness.

,,Oh _god_ ," Emma said a bit strained.

,,What?" Regina said alarmed and moved her hand. ,,Am I hurting you?"

That almost made Emma giggle. Normally, Regina was rather good at recognizing her exclamations.

,,I'm sorry," Regina offered. ,,I didn't mean to hurt you."

,,You didn't exactly _hurt_ me," Emma groaned. ,,Your hand on my back just felt too _good_."

Emma could almost hear the lightbulb switch on in Regina's head when the brunette said: ,,Oh."

,,Yeah."

Regina delicately moved her hand from Emma's back to her thigh instead. ,,Do you want me to help you with that?"

That certainly perked Emma's interest, and she craned her neck to look up at Regina when she asked: ,,What, exactly are you offering right now?"

The little smile that had been lurking on Regina's lips blossomed when she said: ,,Whatever you want, Emma."

 _Now there's an offer I can't refuse_. Emma didn't feel one bit tired when she reached up and started fumbling with the rest of the buttons in Regina's blouse.

But Regina calmly swatted her hand away. ,,No, no, no. This is all for you, dear. You just relax and don't lift a finger, okay?"

,,I think I could handle _lifting a finger_ or two," Emma grinned cheekily.

Regina abruptly stopped the task of freeing Emma from her tanktop, and scowled at the blonde's bad attempt at innuendo. ,,That was a terrible joke, miss Swan."

,,You know, pretty soon that's gonna be Mrs. Swan-Mills to you."

,,Fortunately, I know exactly how to make you shut up." Regina continued, ignoring Emma's remark. ,,Arms up."

Emma willingly lifted her arms and silently thanked herself for choosing to go braless today. Within seconds, Regina's warm hands lightly cupped her breasts, making Emma exhale softly.

,,Feeling any better now?" Regina asked and shifted so she was more or less sitting on Emma.

,,Not really," Emma lied.

,,How about now?" Regina half-smiled and glided her lips over Emma's neck.

,,Getting there." _please keep going._

Regina chuckled lightly, making Emma's skin vibrate as her lips travelled down over her chest, finally blowing cold air on an already pebbled nipple.

The tingling sensation in Emma's gut intensified, and she groaned when it turned into a throbbing. She heard Regina snigger, and the next second Emma gasped when Regina unabashedly rubbed her through her jeans.

 _Okay, that is just playing dirty_. Emma's hips started moving on their own accord, rocking into the touch.

,,And how are you feeling now?" Regina asked almost nonchalantly, still with her mouth dangerously close to Emma's nipple.

,,I'm…" Emma swallowed. ,,Too dressed."

,,Yes, I suppose you are," Regina mused as she unbuttoned Emma's jeans.

Emma helpfully lifted her hips as Regina rucked her jeans down and tossed them on the floor.

,,Do you realize how beautiful you are?" Regina murmured quietly and rested her hand on Emma's stomach for a moment.

,,Yep," Emma said, completely dazed. Her mind was already buzzing.

Regina chuckled warmly as shuffled forward on her knees to kiss the blonde's cheek. ,,You are just gonna say yes to everything I'm saying, aren't you?"

,,Yes."

Regina chuckled once and then she agonizingly slowly kissed her way down Emma's body.

Emma's breath hitched in her throat when she felt Regina's lips on her stomach, and her system threatened to go completely haywire on her. _Why the hell do I always feel faint when she does that_?

,,Mmmph!" Emma said as Regina's lips started peppering her inner thighs with featherlight kisses.

The pleasure was almost too much already, and Emma twisted the sheet between her fingers. Her other arm was currently covering her eyes.

But Regina didn't seem to be in a hurry. She kept pressing light kisses all over Emma's inner thighs.

It was only when Emma's hips almost levitated off the bed, arching into the touch, that Regina finally stopped and sniggered a little.

,,I'm still… too dressed," Emma gritted out and squeezed her legs together to relieve some of the throbbing.

,,Mmm," Regina said noncommittally as she without much further ado hooked her fingers underneath the waistband of Emma's panties.

Emma swallowed thickly as Regina's eyes roamed over her naked body. The brunette was still fully dressed, Emma had only succeeded in opening two of the buttons in her blouse.

Regina flashed Emma one of her beautiful smiles as she shifted slightly, kissing Emma's naked shoulder, then her lips.

The blonde returned the kiss, but found it horrifyingly wrong that she was naked, while Regina was still fully dressed. _Time to rectify that_. She didn't give a damn about what Regina had said earlier about this not being for her.

So while Regina was still occupied with kissing her, Emma reached up and cupped her fiancées breasts. Regina froze momentarily, and Emma heard how she inhaled sharply at the touch. But that wasn't what interested Emma the most. No. What interested her was, that Regina's nipples felt completely stiff against the thin material of her blouse. Emma smirked and gave Regina's breast a squeeze. For a second she was afraid that she might have squeezed too hard, but Regina threw her head back and bit her lip.

 _Okay, enough dawdling._ Why prolong this when all Emma wanted was to _see_ her. the blonde quickly undid the rest of the buttons in Regina's blouse, slid the material off her shoulders and threw it on the bedroom floor. Goosebumps appeared on Regina's skin when Emma pressed the first kiss to the side of her neck.

Emma discreetly shook her head. She still found it a bit amazing that Regina was reacting this way to her.

,,This was about you," Regina breathed when Emma swiftly unclasped her bra and peeled it off her body. There was only one thing better than seeing Regina in her bra, and that was seeing Regina _without_ her bra.

,,You were too overdressed," Emma said and brushed her finger against Regina's breast. ,,That didn't seem fair."

Regina flattened her hand against the bed to support herself as Emma swirled her tongue over a hard nipple. The brunette was still sitting in a rather awkward position on her knees.

,,Lie down," Emma suggested. And after a few moments consideration: ,,And take the rest of your clothes off."

Regina smirked as she unzipped her skirt and took her stockings off. Then she lied down on her back. But when she lifted her hips to slide her panties down her legs, Emma stopped her.

,,Not those."

,,You did say the rest of my clothes," Regina slyly pointed out.

,,My mistake. _I_ want to take those off."

Regina muttered something that sounded very much like "idiot", but Emma ignored her and focused on ridding Regina of the last piece of material.

Once they were both gloriously naked, Emma aimed for taking a moment to admire her fiancée, but Regina had other plans and kissed her way down Emma's body anew.

And Emma completely forgot her plan about getting the upper hand and tipped her head back against the pillow when Regina's lips reached her inner thigh again. But this time, Regina didn't waste any time with teasing, and quickly zeroed in on where Emma needed her the most.

,, _Fuck_!" Emma breathed and rocked her hips in tandem with Regina's oh so damn skillful tongue.

Time sort of stopped, and went too fast at the same time, and Emma's heart was beating like crazy. She could barely remember who she was, all she knew was that she getting close too fast.

 _Damn it_. _I want this to last longer_! _Why did she have to tease me for ages first_?

But unfortunately, Emma couldn't stop the inevitable, and only seconds later, the tingling in Emma's gut grew and spread through her body like wildfire, and her mind went momentarily blank as white lights popped behind her eyes.

,,Do you want to talk about your long day now?" Regina asked later, when Emma is completely exhausted from their previous activities.

Emma hesitated. She was so gloriously satisfied and contend right now, so her long day seemed like a trivial detail.

,,Well?" Regina pressed and shrugged the covers away from her bare shoulder.

She didn't seem keen on giving up, so Emma quickly told her about the missing Pongo, the rude teenage boys, and finally about Maleficent's "visit" to the station.

Regina raised an eyebrow. ,,Perhaps I should have a little chat with her, then."

,,Who?" Emma asked dumbly. Exhaustion was beginning to take over.

,,Maleficent."

Emma raised on her elbow to look at Regina. The brunette didn't look particular thrilled. But for some reason, Emma wasn't quite so aggravated about the matter now.

,,Who knew your dragon ex-girlfriend could be this difficult?"

Regina overheard that. ,,I'll have a little talk with her."

,,What, exactly are you gonna say to her?"

,,I'm gonna ask her to drop the attitude." Regina said plainly and climbed out of bed to find her clothes.

,,Why are you getting dressed already?" Emma complained.

,,Because Veronica is gonna be back in ten minutes, miss Swan."

 **To Be Continued..**


	15. Chapter 15

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 15**

Emma's head snapped up when she heard the front door open and close. Regina was home.

The blonde couldn't quite suppress her smile when she heard Regina say hello to Lady. Whether Regina had been gone for two minutes or two hours, Lady's reaction would always be the same.

And so would Veronica's. The baby immediately started squirming on Snow's lap, and outstretched her chubby arms towards the hall.

Two seconds later, Lady returned to the kitchen, closely followed by Regina, who greeted Snow with a smile and snatched Veronica from her arms.

Emma's smile grew wider as Regina delicately placed a warm hand on her shoulder and asked: ,,What are you two up to?"

It's Snow who answers the question. ,,Wedding dresses!" the princess exclaimed as she flashed the fancy magazines in Regina's direction.

,,Oh." Regina looked half amused, half overbearing. ,,I see. Are you planning on wearing something extraordinary, miss Swan?"

,,I think _you_ were the one who gave Emma an "extraordinary" ring," Snow commented with a slight smirk and nodded towards the "rock" on Emma's finger.

Regina shrugged. ,,She gave me one. I was merely returning a sentiment, Snow."

,,And I happen to like the sentiment," Emma interjected.

Regina smiled at that and hugged Veronica tighter into her chest.

,,What about this one?" Snow interrupted, clearly trying to get Regina to look at the dresses in the magazine.

Emma shot Regina a rather apologetic look, but the brunette remained completely stoic as she looked at the dress Snow was pointing at.

,,Hmm." Regina said and nodded once. ,,That's a nice dress."

,,Can I see?" Emma asked and leaned sideways to get a look at the dress that had found mercy for Regina's taste.

,,No!" Snow quickly answered before Regina could. ,,It's bad luck to see the dress before the wedding!"

Regina huffed. ,,With all due respect, dear, I _think_ we already had all the _bad luck_ we can get. Now remove your hand and show your daughter the dress."

Snow protested, but removed her hand.

Emma tilted her head as she looked at the dress. It was indeed a very nice dress. The lightest of purple, with little sleeves, and it looked elegant without being flashy. Comfortable, but beautiful. And so very different from every article of clothing Emma had ever seen Regina wear.

,,It's different," Emma commented. ,,Nothing like the clothes you usually wear, but I like it."

,,Actually, it's not that different from what I used to wear in The Enchanted Forest," Regina nonchalantly pointed out. ,,When I was younger, and less… _evil_."

And suddenly, Emma could picture a much younger, smiling and carefree version of Regina wear that dress.

Emma quickly snapped out of her sentimental moment and glanced at her watch. Frowning, she looked at Regina: ,,Shouldn't you be in the middle of changing into something else than a pantsuit?"

Regina shrugged.

,,You can't bail on your own bachelor party," Emma reminded her.

,,Can't I?" Regina shot back.

,,That wouldn't be fair to Zelena," Emma pointed out. ,,Not when she's gone through that much trouble with arranging it."

Regina huffed out a breath and placed Veronica on Emma's lap instead. ,,I really hate when you're right."

Snow chuckled. ,,You sound like you're about to live your worst nightmare."

,,I'm pretty sure I've already done that a few times," Regina said with a touch of dark humor.

,,A bachelor party can't possibly be _that_ bad," Emma interjected.

,,Said the woman who refused to have one of her own."

,,Somebody have to watch Veronica," Emma replied innocently.

,,Yes, I'm sure your mother would have refused had you asked her," Regina deadpanned and left the kitchen. Most likely to get dressed in something a bit more "party appropriate".

Emma grinned.

After a while, Snow bid them a good day and left the mansion.

Emma gathered Veronica in her arms and went upstairs to see how long Regina was in the process "of getting ready".

The next moment, the blonde had to pick her jaw up from the floor. _God bless whoever invented the mini dress_. And god bless her fiancée for having the best legs in the universe.

Regina didn't seem to notice how Emma gawked at her. Instead, the brunette grumbled and complained about much she didn't want to do this.

,,Any chance you want to go instead?" Regina asked while she ran a comb through her hair.

,,Nope," Emma grinned. ,,But I'm sure it wont be _that_ bad."

Regina didn't look one bit convinced.

,,Doesn't mommy look pretty?" Emma sang to Veronica.

,,Ohh," Veronica agreed, much to her blonde mother's amusement.

,,Stop embarrassing me," Regina grumbled.

,,Is the truth that embarrassing for you?" Emma teased.

Regina shot her one of her famous looks of disdain, and Emma grinned yet again.

Emma felt quite comfortable with watching Regina getting ready, but all good things came to an end, and sooner rather than later, Regina rose from the spot in front of the vanity table.

,,I should probably get going. Better get this thing over with," the brunette sighed and dropped a kiss on Veronica's forehead. ,,Mommy loves you."

,,What about _me_?" Emma exclaimed in mock horror.

Regina chuckled. ,,I _think_ the ring on my finger sums up my feelings for you quite nicely, miss Swan."

,,Touché," Emma nodded. ,,Have a good bachelor party."

Regina sneered.

Emma and Veronica had quite a little "party" on their own, which involved Veronica crawling around everywhere, while Lady was yapping happily.

Emma chuckled. It really was a pity Regina was missing this, but at the same time, the blonde hoped that she was having a good time with Zelena. But she couldn't be sure. Regina had been more than reluctant to go, and Emma had a pretty good idea as to why that was. The brunette probably still had nightmares about some of the bad headaches she'd had in Seattle. It was no secret that Roni had liked her alcohol, and Emma had seen her drunk and hungover a number of times. Roni had been a rather amusing drunk, and equally funny when she was hungover.

Emma spent a nice, quiet evening with her daughter, and Henry stopped by to say hello. They chatted for a little while, and Veronica squealed and babbled like she always did it when her older brother was present.

The evening came and went. Emma sang Veronica to sleep in the nursery, and then the blonde returned to the living room.

She ended up watching some kind of documentary about bears. Not very entertaining. Truthfully, it was making her rather sleepy. She'd had a long day running around after Veronica.

It was a bit too early to go to bed, and Emma wasn't a fan of sleeping without Regina, but said brunette had warned Emma that she most likely would be home late. So Emma caved in and went upstairs where she quickly slipped a pajama on. After a quick peek into the nursery, she returned to the bedroom.

Emma more or less fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Veronica was stealing all her energy, and Emma had secretly wondered whether her daughter was a little vampire.

Emma jerked awake, completely confused, her head was still full of the strange dream she had moments before. What had woken her?

Oh right. A noise. Not from the nursery, but clearly coming from downstairs. Emma scrabbled around and checked the alarm clock. Four in the morning. Now that was impressive.

Emma had every intention to go downstairs and greet her fiancée, but she didn't get the chance to before the bedroom door opened and Regina came inside.

,,Drunk?" Emma asked plainly as the brunette uncharacteristically stumbled gracelessly into the bedroom.

,,Wasted." Regina said just as noncommittally and slipped her heels off.

Emma grinned and rested her chin on her knees. She was rather tired, but watching the drunk Regina attempting to open her dress was so much more entertaining.

And the brunette struggled a great deal, and Emma was sure she heard one or two curse words.

,,Do you need help?" Emma offered sweetly.

Regina huffed, and Emma took that as a yes, so she shifted in the bed and reached out to open the zipper in Regina's dress.

,,Thank you." Regina said gratefully, and Emma chuckled as the brunette clumsily peeled the dress off and threw on a chair. Another uncharacteristic move. Sober Regina would _never_ throw her clothes here and there.

,,My pleasure. Good bachelor party?" Emma inquired as Regina removed her bra.

,,Long bachelor party," Regina corrected. ,,And too many shots."

,,I thought beer was your favorite drink," Emma couldn't resist as she had a flashback of Roni with her beloved stuffed-under-the-counter-beer.

,,Ha ha," Regina said sarcastic and found one of her numerous silk pajamas in the closet. She succeeded in putting the pajama on without any accidents, but unfortunately, she walked straight into the chair placed in front of her vanity table. ,,Oops."

Emma choked down her laugh. Regina really was drunk tonight. And _very_ entertaining.

,,Are you laughing at me?" said brunette asked and frowned at Emma.

,,Never," Emma assured.

,,Good. Because that would probably get you killed, I'm telling ya..."

 _Well hello there, Roni_. _Nice of you to pop in._

This time, Emma couldn't suppress her laugh, and she chuckled.

Regina scowled again, but it wasn't very intimidating when she was stumbling into bed at the same time.

,,Woops." The brunette said as she more or less fell into bed next to Emma.

,,Are you alright?" Emma asked with feigned concern. She was quite sure that Regina wasn't hurt. Just drunk.

,,Mhmm, I'm good," Regina giggled. Actually _giggled_.

Emma bit her lip not to burst out laughing. Regina never giggled.

,,You're funny when you're drunk."

She didn't get an answer. Regina was already asleep.

 **To Be Continued..**


	16. Chapter 16

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 16**

To her surprise, Emma found the bed empty when she woke up the next morning. The blonde glanced at the alarm clock and was thoroughly impressed. It was only 7:15. Regina probably had a massive headache after her bachelor party the previous evening. And the brunette had still left the bed to care for Veronica instead of waking Emma.

 _Give that woman a freaking medal_. Emma quickly hopped out of bed, slipped a bathrobe on and padded downstairs in search for her fiancée.

She found not only her fiancée, but also Veronica and Lady in the kitchen. Veronica looked like she was having a mighty party crawling around after the cocker spaniel.

Regina… not so much.

The brunette was sitting at the kitchen table with an untouched cup of coffee and her face buried in her hands.

 _Definitely hungovered_. ,,Good morning," Emma said and automatically lowered her voice. Her memory of Roni with hangovers were still fresh.

,,Hey," Regina answered and clearly tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace than anything else.

,,Bad headache?" Emma asked and gave Regina's shoulder a light pat.

,,I'm so hungovered," Regina stated matter of factly.

Emma bit back a chuckle. ,,How much did you even have last night?"

Regina's eyebrows rose towards her hairline. ,,Is this a lecture, miss Swan?"

,,God, no," Emma said and held her hands up in mock surrender. ,,Just curious. That's all."

,,Well, I wouldn't blame you for giving me a lecture," Regina half-groaned. ,,I certainly deserve it."

This time, Emma couldn't quite hold her chuckle back, and to her relieve, Regina actually laughed along with her. Even if it was a fairly quiet laughter.

,,No breakfast today?" Emma asked and gestured towards the empty plate in front of Regina.

,,No. Not right now at least." Regina muttered and rubbed her temples.

,,Do you think Zelena is as hungovered as you?" Emma inquired as she bent down to give Veronica a kiss.

,,You would think so," Regina half-quipped. ,,But I don't think she is. She already texted me once."

,,What did she want?"

,,She found it to be her simple duty to inform me that I spoke with an "interesting" accent last night."

,,Aw man," Emma grinned. ,,I should have been there."

,,Ha, ha." Regina said sarcastically. ,,And apparently, I used some pretty crass words against Maleficent."

Emma nearly choked on her orange juice. ,,You did what? Was Maleficent at the Rabbit Hole?"

,,Apparently." Regina said dryly.

,,Well, what did you say to her then?"

Regina shrugged. ,,I only know what Zelena texted me. ,,I seemingly asked her to "piss off" and "leave Emma the hell alone"."

Emma's shock was replaced with a grin. ,,How _charming_ of you."

,,Hilarious."

,,I would _love_ to have seen Maleficent's reaction."

,,So would I." Regina quipped, and, after a moment of consideration: ,,At least I gave her a piece of my mind. Could probably have been done more elegant, but still."

,,Why do I sense some hostility from you towards your ex-girlfriend?" Emma laughed. Maleficent had been a source of irritation to her, but today, Emma found it rather hilarious.

,,For gods sake, _stop_ calling her that." Regina demanded. ,,It's not even funny."

,,But nevertheless the truth," Emma couldn't resist to tease.

Regina rolled her eyes and stared at the ceiling. ,,If you are gonna call every last woman I've slept with my "ex-girlfriend", then you're gonna tire yourself out, dear."

Emma raised her own eyebrows and smirked at Regina over her glass of orange juice. ,,That many, huh?"

Veronica chose this moment to crawl straight into a chair, and Regina quickly jumped to her feet and scooped the child up in her arms.

 _Saved by the bell_. Emma chose to blame the hangovers for Regina's loose tongue.

Emma watched as Regina comforted Veronica, and once again, she admired the brunette. Soothing a crying baby whilst being hungovered. That was really something.

But there was only so much a person could handle, and when there was a knock on the door, Regina promptly put Veronica down and clutched her head in pain instead.

Emma went over to the window and peered outside. It was no other than her mother, standing on the porch.

,,Who is it?" Regina groaned without moving her hands from her face.

,,Mary Margaret."

,,I can't," Regina said plainly. ,,Not this early. And not this hungovered. I adore your mother, I really do, but this is simply inhuman."

Emma chuckled. ,,I get it. Why don't you go back to bed? I can handle Veronica and my mom."

,,Are you serious?"

,,Of course."

,,Emma Swan, you truly are the Savior," Regina said and surprised Emma with a kiss on her lips.

Emma was more than willing to return _that_ gesture. She didn't even care that her mother could see what was going on. She just kissed Regina square on the lips.

,,I love you. And now I'm going back to bed," Regina stated, slightly breathless when she finally broke the kiss.

,,Sleep well," Emma grinned and felt how her cheeks flushed. And it hadn't even been a "serious" kiss. How silly.

,,Thank you."

Emma watched as the brunette disappeared back upstairs and then she went into the hall to open the door for her very bright-eyed mother.

,,Hi. Is Regina running away from me again?" Snow asked in one breath when Emma opened the door.

,,And good morning to you too," Emma joked dryly.

,,I'm sorry, honey. Good morning," Snow amended and followed her daughter into the kitchen where Veronica squealed in delight.

,,So _is_ she?" Snow asked once she was seated at the kitchen table.

,,No," Emma said and sliced herself two pieces of bread and a banana. ,,She just needed to lie down, that's all."

,,Is she sick?" Snow inquired, and her brows knitted together in concern.

,,No, god forbid it," Emma answered. ,,She just had a bit too much to drink at her bachelor party last night."

,,Oh." Now Snow was grinning a little. ,,Hangovers?"

,,Big time," Emma said firmly and grinned back at her mother.

,,Regina with a hangover. I can't really picture it." Snow mused.

,,That's because you weren't in Seattle," Emma quipped and lifted Veronica up and placed her on her lap.

,,Right. I can't picture Regina as a bartender either."

,,Why not? You _have_ seen pictures of her." Emma reminded her mother.

,,Seeing pictures and experiencing it is very different," Snow deadpanned.

,,Then you should have heard the way she spoke," Emma chuckled. ,,That was really something."

,,I can only imagine."

,,So, what brings you here so early?" Emma asked between bites of toast. Veronica kept reaching up to grab her mother's breakfast, and Emma struggled a little.

Snow reached inside her purse and presented Emma with a stack of wedding magazines. ,,You haven't found a dress yet."

,,Oh no," Emma whined. ,,It's too early for that."

,,It really isn't," Snow said. And Emma knew she was right. The wedding date was getting closer and closer.

So Emma bit back her protests and looked, discussed and commented on the different wedding dresses. And they were all beautiful, but not quite what she was looking for.

,,Of course, there is another option too," Snow said and fiddled with the magazine.

,,What?"

,,The Blue Fairy managed to undo whatever spell The Black Fairy put on my wedding dress."

,,Oh." Emma considered that for a moment. Her mothers wedding dress _had_ been one of her first choices when she was planning her first wedding. But this was different. Now she was marrying Regina. And the last thing she wanted, was that Snow's wedding dress should unravel some less pleasant memories for Regina.

,,Of course it's a bit old fashioned now," Snow mused. ,,So I can understand if you would prefer something more modern."

,,No, no," Emma said and put Veronica down on the floor again. ,,I like the dress. I just don't want it to be weird for… anyone."

,,I get it," Snow nodded.

Emma's response drowned in a loud _crash_. Veronica had grabbed on to the edge of the table cloth and tugged so hard a cup had perished and was now scattered in pieces all over the floor.

,, _Veronica_ ," Emma complained. ,,You can't do stuff like that, honey."

,,Dahh," Veronica said, and didn't look very guilt stricken.

Snow chuckled and then they heard footsteps approach. Regina appeared in the kitchen. This time, dressed in slacks and a blouse, but still a bit pale looking.

,,Who's hurt?" the brunette asked Emma. ,,The baby, you, or the dog?"

,,No one. Veronica just knocked down a cup," Emma said and quickly removed the broken cup from the floor.

,,Oh."

,,But speaking of hurt, how's your head doing?" the blonde asked. Regina still looked like a walking corpse.

,,Let's just say, it didn't appreciate the loud crash." Regina said dryly and pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead.

Snow tried to masquerade a laugh as a cough, but didn't do a very good job. Regina raised an eyebrow and shot her look.

,,Sorry," Snow immediately amended. ,,Its just.. I have never seen you with a hangover before."

,,Yes you have," Regina corrected. ,,I was very much hungovered during my "charade" with Cruella and Ursula and Maleficent."

,,Oh right. I forgot about that."

Emma's stomach twisted a little. She didn't like being reminded about Regina's "undercover-job". Which was a bit silly given how much time had passed. But Maleficent was now officially a pet peeve.

And Regina could probably sense that, because she quickly changed the subject.

 **To Be Continued…**


	17. Chapter 17

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 17**

The date of the wedding was approaching, and Emma found Regina to be getting more and more antsy as they zeroed in on "the big day".

And Emma knew exactly why Regina was being antsy.

She was nervous.

But Emma also knew, that Regina would never admit it, so the blonde wisely kept her mouth shut about it, and acted as she always did instead. And she thought she could sense how grateful Regina was that Emma didn't make a big deal of out if.

,,Maybe we should have eloped instead," Emma quipped one evening when they had been enjoying dinner at her parents house.

Regina chuckled, but Mary Margaret shot her daughter a rare look of disapproval. ,,Don't you _dare_."

,,Ever the romantic," Regina said completely dryly without batting an eye.

David chuckled as he came back into the kitchen with Veronica in his arms. The little girl had just taken a nap, but was now wide awake.

,,I think Roni is tired of sleeping." The prince stated.

That prompted Regina to nearly choke on her wine and croak a hoarse: ,,Don't call her that, please."

Now it was Emma's turn to chuckle.

,,It's just a pet name," David said with feigned innocence.

,,Yes, well, I don't like it."

,,Mainly because _you_ were just about to answer, right?" Emma teased.

,,I was not," Regina denied, but Emma knew that it wasn't true. Regina did indeed respond to her "curse-name" still. Which was rather funny. Emma took great pleasure in slipping in a "Roni" into their conversation and watch how Regina just kept going without even realizing that Emma had called her by another name.

Regina took Veronica from David's arms and summoned a bottle. Within seconds, Veronica was enjoying her "dinner" like the adults had done before.

That was when Snow started throwing hints about wedding dresses at Regina, but Regina refused to give any detail about the dress and answered with: ,,It was _you_ who said it was bad luck to see the dress before the wedding."

,,Touché," David chuckled.

,,Fine," Snow grumbled. ,,At least I will see it in one month."

,,Daunting," Emma deadpanned, and hoped she wasn't going too far.

But Regina just sniggered as said: ,,Absolutely terrifying. Makes you wanna smoke. Or drink. Or possibly both."

,,No smoking," Emma interjected. ,,But drinking.. well, you're rather funny when you drink."

,,You're a _fine_ one to talk, miss "I'm so drunk I need the bartenders help to get into a cab"."

 _Shit_. Emma had completely forgotten about that, but clearly Regina hadn't.

,,What?" David asked and looked from Emma to Regina.

Emma opened her mouth to explain it to her father, but Regina beat her to it and said sweetly: ,,Your precious daughter decided to get drunk and fall asleep during her first visit in my bar. I had to carry her into the cab."

,,You did _not_ carry me," Emma piped up. She had to defense herself against these horrible lies.

,,Came bloody close," Regina shot back, while Snow laughed.

Emma glared at both of them.

,,Don't worry dear," Regina said silkily. ,,You're not the first one I've helped into a cab."

David coughed, but it sounded suspiciously like a laugh to Emma.

And Snow looked rather amused when she said: ,,You could have just let her sleep it out at the counter, Regina."

,,She _was_ sleeping at the counter."

That caused Snow to burst out laughing and turn to her daughter: ,,Were you?"

,,I'd had a long day," Emma defended vaguely.

,,And you think I didn't?" Regina lovingly teased. ,,On top of running a bar, I had to deal with _you_ too."

,,Sorry?" Emma said. Not feeling very sorry. _Why should I? if I hadn't fallen asleep, I would probably never had come back to apologize_.

Regina sniggered and adjusted Veronica in her arms.

And Snow shot both women an amused glance. She was clearly relishing in their friendly banter.

Emma smiled. In many ways, it was like it had always been between them. And yet so much had changed between them.

After dinner, the little family moved into the living room. Veronica was placed on a blanket on the floor, while the adults opted for the couch.

Emma immediately found "her spot" and sat down next to Regina. She took Regina's hand, interlacing their fingers, and the brunette didn't even flinch. Maybe she forgot they don't normally "do this kind of stuff" while Snow and David are present, or maybe she has just become so used to Emma having to touch her _somewhere_. Whether it's a hand on her knee or their fingers lacing together doesn't matter. Emma just _have_ to be in some sort of contact with her. And preferably all the time.

It's possible that Regina didn't notice, but Snow did, and she grinned widely when she saw Emma grabbing onto Regina's hand like that.

Emma was positive she could read her mother's thoughts right now. Snow looked like she's about to burst into a series of "aww" or something like that.

Regina's phone beeped, and the brunette momentarily abandoned the conversation she had with David.

,,What is it?" Emma asked.

,,It's a text from Zelena."

,,Why don't you check it then?" Emma inquired and raised an eyebrow.

Regina sighed heavily. ,,Because you are currently preventing me from doing so, Emma."

,,Oh," Emma grinned sheepishly and let go of Regina's hand when she realized what Regina was referring to.

,,Thank you," Regina said rather dryly, and Emma was ninety nine percent sure she saw the brunette roll her eyes.

Regina grabbed her phone from the table and checked the message.

,,Something important?" Emma asked.

,,Curiosity killed the cat," Regina drawled.

Emma raised an eyebrow again. ,,Seriously, what did Zelena want?"

,,Inform me that she have brought my dress out of harms way."

,,Do you mean _me_?" Emma asked indignantly, and was just about to protest when she realized something far more important: ,,Hang on, have Zelena seen your dress?!"

,,Yes." Regina said calmly and stuffed the phone back in her purse.

,,Why can _she_ see it when I can't?!" Emma huffed. ,,That is _so_ unfair!"

,,Last time I checked, I wasn't marrying Zelena," Regina taunted.

,,And that's about the weirdest sentence I've heard all night," David muttered, earning a chuckle from Regina.

,,I just didn't want you to accidentally see it before the wedding," Regina said, and now her voice was softer. ,,I'm trying to do this the traditional way."

Of course Emma couldn't be offended when Regina used _that tone_ with her. That rich, warm voice, so damn persuasive, and often accompanied by a hand on Emma's knee. But obviously not when Snow and David were present.

,,Fine," Emma mumbled and felt like how her indignant attitude disappeared and she was reduced to putty instead.

Regina flashed her a smile. And it wasn't just any smile. It was _the_ smile. That slow, blossoming smile that made her eyes sparkle. Damn. Emma would never tire of it. Regina was just so damn beautiful when she smiled.

,,And I thought _I_ was good at having my way," Snow quietly interjected.

,,What?" Emma said distracted. She was still a little too busy staring at her fiancée. Who was currently unleashing her powers on Emma.

,,I think your parents wants your attention," Regina softly pointed out and brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear as she bowed her head to check on Veronica.

Emma snapped out of it. ,,Sorry, mom. What did you say?"

,,Nothing," Snow laughed.

David shot Regina an amused glance, and Regina just shrugged.

 **To Be Continued…**


	18. Chapter 18

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 18**

When Emma woke up that night, her slow brain needed a moment to figure out why she was so happy.

And then she remembered.

A grin blossomed on her face as she slid over to spoon Regina, one hand resting on the brunette's hip.

It hadn't been Emma's intention to wake Regina, but the brunette was quite a light sleeper and she groaned something incoherent.

,,We're getting married tomorrow," Emma informed her and knew she sounded rather goofy in the morning.

,,Oh yes? To who?" Regina mumbled. _She_ did not sound goofy in the morning. She sounded so unbelievably sexy with that hoarse voice full of gravel.

Plus, she was able to sass so early in the morning.

,, _Very_ funny," Emma growled and blew cold air onto the back of Regina's neck.

,,That tickles," Regina complains and scrabbled for the alarm clock. Then she groaned. ,,Really, Emma? You woke me at four in the morning to tell me that we're getting married tomorrow?!"

,,Sorry," Emma said goofily. ,,I couldn't think of a better excuse."

,, _I_ could," Regina muttered.

,,What _would_ you have liked me to say instead?" Emma inquired and raised on her elbows to look at her fiancée.

,,"Veronica is awake", "Coffee's ready", or…"

,,Okay, I get the picture," Emma mumbled.

,,…Sex."

Emma spluttered. ,,Pardon me?!"

,,That would have been a valid excuse to wake me."

Emma gaped at her fiancée.

Regina chuckled. ,,I'm just kidding."

Emma's eyebrow rose. Even though Regina did say she was kidding, Emma could suspect that there was some truth in her words.

But before The Savior could get the chance to follow up on that startling statement, a thin wail broke the silence, and Regina was out of bed and already half way into the nursery.

Emma rose from the bed too. She shrugged on a robe and went into the nursery where she found Regina sitting with Veronica in the old rocking chair.

,,I can take her," Emma sleepily suggested.

Regina chuckled. ,,No offense dear, but your words are slurred and you can barely stand. You should go back to bed instead."

,,No, no, I'm awake." Emma assured.

Regina shot her a disbelieving look but didn't comment on her statement

A few hours later, Emma was about to leave for work when she was greeted by a rather nasty morning surprise. Her beloved yellow bug refused to start.

,,Damnit," Emma grumbled as she headed back into the mansion.

,,What is it?" Regina inquired and raised an eyebrow.

,,The Bug won't start. Maybe I should take it to the mechanic."

,,Or to the junkyard." Regina suggested sweetly.

,,Hey, you liked the Bug in Seattle!" Emma protested.

,,Yes, well I liked a lot of things in Seattle that I don't like now," Regina drawled.

Emma made a coughing sound that almost sounded like she was saying "Lila!"

Regina's brow knitted together in disapproval. ,,Don't start."

,,I'm not saying anything that's not true," Emma grinned.

,,A statement I'm neither confirming nor denying."

,,You totally slept with her." Emma stated plainly as her grin grew wider.

,,Do you want to borrow my car or not?" Regina half-snipped.

Emma opened her mouth with a _plop_. ,,Are you offering me the Mercedes?"

,,That was what I said, wasn't it?" Regina said and shook her head at the expression on Emma's face. ,,But only if you cease the Lila talk."

,,Deal." Emma said.

Regina rose from the couch and Lady followed her like a shadow as the brunette retrieved her car keys from her purse and tossed them to Emma.

,,Thanks," Emma grinned and swiftly caught them.

,,Don't scratch it," Regina warned. ,,I like that car."

,,So if I were involved in a car accident you would be worried about the car, right?"

Regina's eyes darkened at that. ,,Don't be ridiculous, miss Swan."

Emma made a mental note to herself about never tease about accidents in the future. ,,I'm off," the blonde declared and tickled Veronica's cheek, patted Lady and then gave Regina a kiss on the cheek.

,,Drive. Safe." Regina articulated and tightened her grip around Emma's waist for a moment.

,,Got it. See you tonight."

,,Indeed."

Emma kept her word and made sure to drive very, _very_ safe. This was quite possibly the slowest she had even driven before, but this wasn't her old and battered Bug. She dared not to do something that could potentially mess the fine Mercedes up.

Lily looked up and raised an eyebrow in surprise when Emma stepped inside the Sheriff's station. ,,I expected your fiancée in a flurry of rage and disapproval."

,,Funny. Don't refer to Regina that way." Emma said flatly.

,,What happened to the Bug?" Lily inquired as she handed Emma an enormous stack of reports.

,,Engine's dead," Emma all but whined. God knows she loved that Bug.

,,Oh, shoot," Lily said. ,,That sucks."

Emma could only agree with that.

The two women worked their way through the paperwork until around noon where Emma suddenly gets an unbearable desire for Granny's burgers.

,,Do you want something from Granny's?" Emma asked Lily as she shrugged her leather jacket on.

,,No, I'm good."

,,Alright. See you in a bit."

But there's a surprise waiting for Emma when she pulled up in front of Granny's Diner. Her yellow Bug is parked nicely in front of the diner.

,,How the hell…?" the blonde muttered. She's a hundredth percent sure the car couldn't start this morning. The engine was _dead_ for gods sake. But then how the hell is it possible that the car is in fact _here_?

Eager to solve the mystery, Emma went inside, and found Regina squeezed into a booth with Veronica on her lap and Snow and David on either side of her.

,,Hey," Regina said once she spotted Emma approaching.

,,Hi," Emma replied and dragged a chair over to the table.

,,Busy day?" Regina asked and took another sip of her coffee.

,,Not really. Maybe I should consider switching business."

,,Perhaps," Regina nodded thoughtfully.

Emma ordered a burger and after the first bite, she asked Regina: ,,Uh.. the Bug?"

,,Yes?" Regina said.

,,The engine was dead this morning?" Emma reminded her fiancée.

,,I fixed it," Regina shrugged.

Emma nearly choked on her burger and gaped at her fiancée and then her parents. ,,You _fixed_ it? I didn't realize there were fixing cars-spells."

,,Don't be ridiculous," Regina scoffed. ,,Of course there aren't."

,,But then how…?"

,,Well, the car I owned in Seattle had a habit of breaking down every so often, so.."

,, _You_ know how to fix cars?" David said disbelievingly, and Emma didn't blame Regina for the looked she flashed the prince.

,,Not quite," the brunette stoically corrected. ,,But _Roni_ knew how to fix cars."

,,She did?" Emma asked, this was news to her.

,,Indeed." Regina chuckled. ,,Who do you think all my little employees went to whenever they needed their car fixed?"

Snow grinned.

,,But _you_ said the car belonged in the junkyard," Emma reminded the brunette.

,,I was _kidding_ ," Regina half-snipped. ,,You love that Bug. It's impracticable and small, but nevertheless…"

,,So you fixed it for me," Emma said, and now a grin spread on her face.

Regina shrugged. ,,As I said, you are attached to it. And you looked like a kicked puppy when you thought it was gone for good."

,,Thank you," Emma said sincerely and took Regina's hand.

,,Anytime," Regina nodded without taking her eyes off her coffee cup.

But Emma wasn't prepared to let this one go that easily. The thought of Regina searching her brain for whatever skills the curse gave her and fixing the Bug was almost overwhelming. That Regina just knew how much the Bug actually meant to Emma.

 _If it hadn't been because my parents were present, I would have kissed her right now_.

 **To Be Continued..**


	19. Chapter 19

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 19**

When Emma woke up the following morning- well, it's not exactly _morning_ \- more like late at night. It's 2 in the morning, and the blonde wonders why the hell is awake when she should be sleeping, saving her energy for the big day.

But she quickly found out why she was awake right now.

Something is missing from the bed.

Something significant.

Regina.

Emma frowned as she slipped out of bed. This was the first time this had happened. Regina _never_ left the bed in the middle of the night. It just didn't happen. Not unless Veronica was awake, and Emma could hear nothing but silence, so clearly the baby wasn't awake, and Emma had a hunch that Regina had been missing from the bed for a long time now.

Emma didn't like sleeping alone, and more importantly, she didn't like Regina being up and nervous the day before her wedding. If the brunette was going to be nervous, she would have to do it with Emma present, thank you very much. No hiding or pretending she was fine.

Emma quickly tiptoed down the hall. She took a quick peak into Veronica's room, but the baby was sleeping peacefully.

The blonde checked the living room first. No Regina there.

Kitchen then?

No Regina.

Hmm. Maybe her office? Heavens know Regina spent a lot of time in there.

But the office was also quite empty.

Emma somehow doubted her fiancée would be in Henry's old bedroom, so she crossed that off her list and knocked on the bathroom door instead.

No answer and no Regina. Only a very sleepy looking Lady. Emma didn't quite understand why the dog sometimes preferred to sleep in the bathroom, but she suspected that it had something to do with the warm tiles.

Hmm. Emma returned to the living room and frowned. Where the hell was Regina? _maybe she has left me on the night before the wedding_? But Emma knew Regina would never do that. No, there had to be a reasonable explanation for her absence.

And there was. A shadowy figure on the porch quickly caught Emma's eye and she smiled once her sleep induced mind came to the conclusion that it was in fact Regina out there.

Emma opened the front door to join her fiancée in her late night ponderings, and immediately frowned once she realized that Regina was holding a cigarette between her thumb and second finger.

,,That's bad for you," Emma pointed out.

,,Mmm," Regina hummed in acknowledgement, but took a drag of the cigarette anyway.

,,Any particular reason you're smoking at two in the morning?" Emma asked nonchalantly and fought the urge to rip the cigarette from Regina's grasp.

,,I needed a cigarette," Regina said plainly.

,,Couldn't you have woken me instead?" Emma suggested. ,,Those things will kill you."

,,You know, after everything I've been through so far, I somehow doubt that."

Emma was prone to agreeing, but the sight of the cigarette between Regina's lips still made the blonde want to take it and squish it between her fingers.

,,You told me you were done smoking."

,,And I am. After this one." Regina muttered, and now she looked a bit guilty. Like a child caught stealing from the cookie jar.

,,So you don't have a secret stash of cigarettes hidden somewhere?"

,,Absolutely not."

,,Regina?" Emma pressed.

,,In my office. Hid in between the paper stacks."

The way Regina so openly admitted it, actually made Emma laugh a bit.

,,You know I have to take those away from you, right?"

,,I'm aware," Regina sighed and took another long drag on the cigarette.

 _Looking attractive while smoking doesn't exactly help my case_.

Emma sat down and ignored how cold the porch was against her skin. ,,You wanna tell me what this really is about?"

Regina sat down next to her. ,,It's about me realizing that we're getting married tomorrow. And panicking a little."

,,Again, why didn't you wake me?"

,,What good would that have done?" Regina snipped. ,,I've known the date for our wedding for a long time now. It's makes no sense to panic _now_."

,,Actually, it makes perfect sense," Emma said gently. ,,You have every right to be nervous."

,,No I haven't," Regina insisted. ,,I'm marrying _you_."

,,Getting flashbacks of your first wedding was almost inevitable. _Were_ you having flashbacks?"

,,Yes," Regina admitted. ,,I woke up in panic believing that I was eighteen and about to get married off."

Emma shuffled closer and snatched the cigarette out of Regina's hand. The brunette shot her a look of disapproval.

,,Poisoning your lungs won't help," Emma said softly. ,,Do you want to talk about it?"

,,Not really," Regina answered flatly. ,,Is that alright?"

,,Totally. We can just sit here and not talk about it for as long as you like." Emma said and looped her arm loosely around Regina's waist.

That elicited a very small smile from Regina.

Emma didn't know much about Regina's first marriage. Only what Regina had told her. And that was very little. Regina had made it clear that it was a long time ago, and she didn't want to discuss the subject anymore. She had already discussed it plenty with Archie. Had worked on it, thought about it. She didn't want to look back anymore.

And Emma respected that. But she also knew that it probably had been a very dark, if not the darkest chapters of Regina's life.

They stay like that for quite a while, talking about everything besides the actual reason Regina is up at this hour, and eventually Emma persuades Regina to come back to bed.

But when Emma awakens the next time, at eight in the morning, the bed is empty again.

The blonde ventured downstairs again, and this time she found her fiancée sitting at the kitchen table watching over Veronica and Lady on the floor.

,,Let's not make this a habit," Emma half-quipped and poured herself a cup of morning coffee.

,,What?" Regina asked and raised an eyebrow.

,,You being gone whenever I wake up."

,,I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep."

Emma's own eyebrow raised towards her hairline. ,, _Have_ you even slept since we went back to bed?"

,,No." Regina confessed dully.

Emma sighed gravely. ,,Are you planning on saying "I do" or be asleep at the ceremony?"

For a moment she feared that her joke wasn't appropriate, but her comment elicited a smile from Regina.

,,I was rather planning on saying "I do"." The brunette said slyly and the smile on her face grew.

 _Well, at least we established_ _that_ _._

,,So no cold feet?" Emma asked, just to check. Not that she seriously believed Regina would bail on her or anything.

 _That_ question elicited an eyeroll from Regina. ,,I always honor my agreements, miss Swan."

,,Right. Good."

,,You didn't suspect me for wanting to run off, did you, dear?"

,,Of course not."

,,I hope not," Regina growled quietly.

A few hours later, Mary Margaret dropped by, full of excitement for ceremony, and Emma willingly participated, but reminded her mother that the ceremony wasn't until in the evening.

Regina remained calm during this, but once she had tugged Veronica in for a little nap, she announced that she would "step outside for a moment".

Emma instantly stretched her neck to get a closer look at her fiancée. And Regina was indeed holding a cigarette between her thumb and second finger.

Emma groaned quietly. She would have to spend the honeymoon weaning Regina off those damn cigarettes.

,,Is she okay?" Snow asked and frowned.

,,I think so. Just nervous."

,,Oh."

They watched Regina inhale the smoke and then exhale slowly.

,,Remind me again, why would it be a bad idea to snatch that pack of cigarettes out of her hand?" Emma said through gritted teeth.

,,Because she would kill you." Snow said plainly. ,,Or at least yell at you."

,,Regina doesn't yell," Emma immediately protested.

,,Maybe you just haven't angered her lately?" Snow suggested innocently.

,,Oh, well, I think I'm about to anger her now," Emma muttered, and then said: ,,Seriously?" when Regina came back inside, stuffing a mint pastel into her mouth, most likely to remove all traces of nicotine.

,,I'm done. I swear," Regina assured, but Emma wasn't very convinced.

,,Isn't there something else you can do instead?"

,,It's a bit too early to drink, miss Swan."

,,That didn't stop you in Seattle."

,,Knock it off," Regina warned. ,,You've seen me drink in Storybrooke, too."

,,True. But not like you did in Seattle."

,,That's because you didn't know me when I was younger," Regina said silkily.

Emma raised an eyebrow. ,,Really?"

,,I drank quite a bit between the age of nineteen and twenty four."

 _Between the age of nineteen and twenty four_. Emma's face twisted into a grimace at that. ,,And I bet it was Maleficent who offered you your first taste."

Regina rolled her eyes and shook her head in an "are you serious"-manner.

,,Maleficent?" Snow interested and raised her own eyebrow.

Emma suddenly remembered that her mother was present and hid her nose in her coffee cup.

,,Am I missing something here?" Snow continued and tilted her head at Regina.

Regina glared at Emma, who suddenly wished Veronica would wake up.

,,Well, we almost made it forty years without that coming up." Regina muttered.

,,Without _what_ coming up?" Snow pressed, and now she was actually gaping at the brunette.

,,I'm not discussing past mistakes on my wedding day. It's inappropriate." Regina said plainly, shutting down any further discussion.

Emma chuckled into her coffee cup, and Regina shot her another dangerous glare.

 **To Be Continued..**


	20. Chapter 20

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 20**

Emma wasn't quite sure how it happened, but somehow, time was suddenly _up_ , and It Was Time.

Time to get married, that is.

Time for the big "I do".

And she was equally as nervous as exited.

Regina mostly looked nervous.

The brunette had paled considerably as time ticked along, and when the ceremony was literally in an hour, she looked on the verge of passing out or throwing up. Or possibly both.

Emma was actually so legit afraid that Regina would do either of the two things, so she reached for the brunette's hand and asked. ,,Are you alright?"

 _And the award for dumbest question goes to…_

,,I'm fine," Regina said, and her voice sounded surprisingly steady as dismissive. ,,Kindly tell your mother to stop looking at me like I'm going to combust any moment."

,,Stop looking at Regina like she's going to combust." Emma said to Mary Margaret, and earned herself a solid whap on the arm from Regina.

,,Idiot." Regina said flatly.

,,Sorry. Couldn't resist." Emma defended and held up her hands in mock surrender.

,,Do you want it to be an "I do" or a "No way in hell"?" Regina asked, still completely calm.

Emma's mouth fell open with a soft _pop_.

,,Regina!" Snow interjected, in that shriek-y voice she always used when she found that Regina had gone a bit too far.

,,I'm sorry. Ignore that," Regina immediately said and took Emma's hand in an attempt to soften her crass words.

,,I'll let that one slide," Emma said. ,,But only because you're nervous."

,,I'm not _nervous_!"

Emma wisely ignored that.

About a half an hour later, David came to the mansion to "kidnap Veronica so the ladies could get changed without any interference", and Regina prepared to head over to Zelena's farmhouse to get changed.

Emma was in the process of drinking the last of her coffee, when there was a knock on the front door and Henry poked his head inside, grinning from ear to ear.

,,Time to get married, huh mom?"

David chuckled and gave Emma's shoulder a squeeze.

,,I think I'm gonna be sick," Regina said gravely, but her tone was still slightly mocking.

,,So now is not the time to give Regina the whole "if you ever hurt my daughter, I'm coming for you"-speech?" David half-whispered as Regina disappeared into the hall to put on her coat.

,,Dad, seriously?" Emma groaned and rolled her eyes.

,,If I ever hurt your daughter, intentionally or unintentionally, _I_ would be coming for me." Regina called from the hall. ,,And let's face it, Charming. I'm a far better enemy than you are."

,,Touché." Snow muttered.

,,I'm going to Zelena's," Regina announced. ,,Let's hope she's a bit more mature than you lot."

,, _You lot_?" Snow teased. ,,In a few hours you're gonna be one of us."

,,No, I'm not. I'm gonna be Regina Swan-Mills," Regina corrected without batting an eye.

 _Regina Swan-Mills_. The sound alone was enough to make Emma's mouth go a little dry, and her palms slightly damp. But instead of acting on it, (and make her mother produce another "aww"-sound) Emma promptly rose from her chair and scooped Lady up from the floor.

,,You can't go with her, Ladybug. Not today." Emma told the cocker spaniel.

Veronica squirmed in David's grasp and stretched her chubby little arms towards Regina.

,,And neither can you," Emma informed the baby.

,,She'll have to settle for the next best thing," Henry quipped as he took the baby from David's arms.

,,And what am I, then? the third best?" Emma pouted and folded her arms across her chest.

,,No, dear. You're _the_ best." Said Regina as she disappeared out of the front door and into the Mercedes.

 _Only Regina would throw such a remark and then leave_. Emma grinned a little to herself. And then she remembered the reason to why Regina had left. It was Time To Get Dressed.

Meaning: it was time to put on her wedding dress.

 _No big deal_. _It's just my mothers old dress. No biggie at all_.

Except it was _very much_ a "biggie".

She was about to get married.

To _Regina_.

 _if someone had told me that eight years ago, I would have laughed my ass off_.

And it still felt somehow like a dream. Like when you achieve the un-achievable.

 _A fucking dream come true._

,,Emma?"

,,Hmm?" Emma looked up to see her parents and her son looking at her.

,,Are you okay?" David inquired and raised an eyebrow.

,,Yeah, sure. I'm fine." Emma said promptly. _My stomach is just tying in knots_.

To avoid further questions, the blonde quickly patted Lady, put her down on the floor and then announced: ,,I'm gonna get changed."

No arguments from her parents and Henry. Maybe they could sense that she would like a second to herself before "showtime".

Emma went upstairs in Regina's- no, _their_ bedroom, (she seriously needed to remember that this was also her bedroom now).

There it was.

Snow White's wedding dress.

It looked as good as new. The Blue Fairy had indeed succeeded in undoing whatever spell the Black Fairy had cast upon it, and the dress was now snow white again (no pun intended).

 _Might as well just put in on_.

Emma was halfway through undoing her jeans when she figured that she should probably do her makeup first. No staining the dress.

So she sat down in front of the enormous vanity table and carefully put on her makeup. She was determined to keep it simple and "light". She didn't want to be a dolled up bride. She wanted to be herself.

Emma put a very light shade on her eyelids and just a touch of light lipstick, and that was it. Her makeup was done.

Now it was time. Actually time for The Dress.

Exiting. And a bit scary.

Emma resumed the task of undoing her jeans, and pulled her t-shirt over her head. She didn't bother with stuffing the clothes away in the closet, she simply tossed both items on the bed.

Her first thought when she pulled the dress over her head, was how surprisingly _comfortable_ it was. It fitted her like a glove, but didn't choke the life out of her either. It simply hugged her body in all the right places. And the feathers on the skirt were so incredibly soft. Emma briefly considered whether it was swan feathers.

 _So far so good._ But when she attempted to work the strings in the back of the dress, to close it, she ran into a problem. This was definitely a two-man job.

As on cue, there was a knock on the bedroom door, and Snow creaked the door open. ,,Can I come in, honey?"

,,Yeah." Emma said. ,,I think I need help, actually."

Mary Margaret came in, and Emma saw how she grew suspiciously misty eyed.

,,Oh god, can you please not cry until _after_ the ceremony?"

Snow laughed and started tying the dress in the back. ,,I'm not saying your father might get a heart attack, but…"

,,I was rather hoping _Regina_ would be the one to get a heart attack. Not a fatal one, obviously, but still…"

Emma cut herself off abruptly. _I've basically just told my mom that I want to look hot for Regina. Great._ She reminded herself to tell Regina that later. The brunette would laugh her head off.

She could see Mary Margaret's mouth twitch in amusement, but the pixie haired woman didn't comment further on it. She simply helped Emma lace the wedding dress up until it was sitting perfectly.

Emma busied herself with brushing her hair and sticking little white flowers into it.

When she was ready and done up, she found that the result was very good.

Her hair was braided loosely, and she had inserted about a million little white flowers into it.

There. She was done. There was absolutely nothing more she could do. She looked... well, like she was about to get married. And more importantly, she looked like herself, and not some modified version.

,,I don't think there's any more I can do," Emma told her mother, and Snow kept suspiciously quiet as she finished lacing Emma's dress up.

Emma craned her neck and looked out of the window. Henry and Ella and Lucy, Zelena and Robyn and Lily were all seated in their yard. Archie was standing under the apple tree, waiting for the brides.

 _The brides_. Emma's hear suddenly sped up.

,,Emma? Are you okay?" Snow asked.

,,I'm fine," Emma croaked. ,,Are _you_?"

,,Dangerously close to getting emotional, but otherwise fine," Snow assured, and Emma rolled her eyes.

There was a knock on the bedroom door, and David announced: ,,All the guests are seated."

 _Showtime, then_. ,,One bride, coming up," Emma declared as she opened the bedroom door and stepped outside.

David smiled widely and then he shook his head a little. ,,Emma.. you look beautiful."

,,Thanks, dad," Emma grinned and accepted the hug her father was offering.

,,Can I be emotional _now_?" Snow asked, her voice suspiciously thick.

Emma laughed as David offered his wife a handkerchief.

Emma heard the faint sound of the guests muttering outside, and knew that this was her cue to step outside, but suddenly she could need a moment or two alone. She told her parents that, and Snow and David nodded, hugged her again and then stepped outside to sit down with the rest of the guests.

Emma inhaled and exhaled slowly. This was it. She was actually getting married. Right now.

And suddenly, it hit her that she had no idea how and when Regina would make her entrance. Were they supposed to meet underneath the apple tree? Was Emma supposed to go out there and wait for her?

 _Shit, why didn't we talk about that before she took off_?

Emma was somewhat insecure about what to do next, when the question suddenly answered itself. Regina appeared right there in the hall in front of Emma, seemingly not giving a damn about seeing the bride before the wedding.

And what a bride. Regina looked absolutely _stunning_. She had apparently added some length to her hair, braided it and then rolled it into a soft bun. And the purple dress, the one she had looked at in one of Snow's many, many wedding magazines, had been thrown off the table in favor of a light, soft colored dress with little sleeves.

,,You are wearing white," Emma observed with a grin spreading across her face.

,,No, dear. This color is called _cream_ ," Regina corrected.

Emma chuckled a little and shook her head. Cream or white, Snow would be delighted that Regina had chosen this.

,,I think perhaps they're waiting for us," Regina said and peaked out of the window.

,,Yeah. You ready to go and get married?"

,,That would probably be the wisest idea. Since they're all waiting for us." Regina smirked and took Emma's hand. ,,Come on, miss Swan, let's go and tell your parents that I'm taking you away from them for good."

,,They would have been terrified a few years back," Emma grinned.

Regina just smirked.

Emma had expected two things. One: Regina would be feeling awfully nervous, and two: time would pass agonizingly slow until the "I do's".

None of those two things happened.

Regina looked perfectly calm and contend as they walked up to the apple tree together. Obviously, Snow hadn't been able to keep her word, and was already crying into her handkerchief before Archie started his little speech.

And what a speech that was, enough to make anyone emotional, really. Emma had left him with no instructions on what to say, but Archie seemed to figure that one out on his own. He spoke briefly and movingly about "the unexpected that sometimes happened", and "seeing one another differently". Emma heard phrases like "building a family", "defying the odds", etc.

And suddenly… suddenly, Emma was brought back to reality by Archie's voice asking: ,,Do you, Emma Swan, take Regina Mills as your wife?"

,,I do," Emma said and tried her best to keep her emotions at bay.

,,Do you promise to love, cherish and protect her every day for the rest of your life?"

,,I do." _Yes, a million times_.

Archie smiled and as he turned to Regina, Emma was positive that Zelena was blubbering too.

,,And do you, Regina Mills, take Emma Swan as your wife?"

,,I do," Regina said, and Emma had to admire how good she was at keeping her emotions at bay. Her voice didn't even tremble when she said "I do".

,,Do you promise to love, cherish and protect her every day for the rest of your life?"

,,I do."

And just like that, months of preparations was over. Archie pronounced them to be married and "gave them permission" to kiss one another. A task, Emma was more than willing to do. She barely noticed that their small audience cheered for them. The only thing filling her mind was the fact that she and Regina indeed were married now.

 **To Be Continued?**


	21. Chapter 21

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 21**

It took Emma ten full seconds to realize that she and Regina were indeed married now. The sparkly rings on their finger was a solid prove of that.

 _Married_.

,,You smiling like the Joker is a bit unnerving," Regina pointed out, but Emma could hear the amusement in her voice, and her arm was still draped loosely over Emma's shoulder.

The blonde's answer was lost, when Henry broke out of the small gathering and more or less flung himself at his mother. Emma chuckled and returned the hug.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Snow "attack" Regina and engulf her in what appeared to be a _very_ tight hug.

,,You seem to be hugging me a lot these days," Regina commented when she patted Snow on the back. ,,And I seem to put up with it a lot," she muttered quietly to herself.

Emma chuckled and hugged her dad who was next in line to congratulate them.

Snow finally let go of Regina, allowing Lucy to give the brunette a hug.

,,Congratulations, Emma. I'm so happy for you," David whispered and dropped a kiss on the blonde's forehead.

,,Thanks, dad," Emma grinned.

,,Congratulations," Lucy said and flashed Emma a smile when she came over to her.

,,Thanks, kid," Emma said and crouched down so they were in eye level.

,,We better write this in the storybook as soon as possible, eh, kid?" Henry grinned and gave Lucy's shoulder a little squeeze.

Lucy giggled at that, and Emma saw how she transformed into a normal ten-year-old, and not a child who had seen curses and other weird stuff.

,,Congratulations." Emma turned around and saw Zelena coming up to her with Robyn trailing behind her.

,,Thank you, Zelena," Emma said and willingly accepted Zelena's hug.

,,But for the record," Zelena said silkily and hugged Emma just a little bit tighter. ,,IF you ever hurt her, I _will_ murder you with my bare hands. Is that clear?"

,,Crystal clear," Emma said, equally amused and admittedly, a bit scared.

,,Please refrain from threatening miss Swan, sister dear," Regina drawled. It seemed like she had managed to push her way out of the hugging crowd.

,,She's not "miss Swan" anymore," David reminded her.

,,Right. My mistake. Please refrain from threatening _my wife_ ," the words were said with some sarcasm, but it didn't make Emma less happy hearing those words coming from Regina's mouth.

,,I'll need some time getting used to hearing _that_ ," Snow commented and laughed and shook her head.

,, _I_ won't." Lucy chuckled.

,,Well, I guess that's "Operation Clueless" done for," Henry grinned and engulfed Regina in a half-hug with his arm around her shoulder.

,,I wonder what's next?" Emma teased.

Regina scowled. ,,I've said yes to you, miss Swan. Isn't that satisfying enough for you?"

,,Very. And that's Mrs. _Swan-Mills_ to you," Emma corrected without batting an eye.

Regina rolled her dark eyes. ,,Now, David, if you would be so kind and hand me back my daughter, please."

,,Isn't that a bad idea when you're wearing that dress and all?" Snow interjected, but Regina just scoffed and snatched Veronica out of David's arms.

,,Hi honey," Emma cooed and dropped a light kiss on Veronica's forehead. ,,Guess what, your mommies aren't living in sin anymore."

That elicited sniggers from Henry and raised eyebrows from Snow and David.

,,I'll pretend I didn't hear that remark," Regina drawled, but nevertheless gave Emma's hand a soft squeeze.

,,I love you," Emma said softly enough to not let any of their by-standers hear.

,,I heard that's the case," Regina chuckled.

,,Mmm," Emma said and toyed with the sparkly ring on her finger.

Regina took her hand, batted Emma's fingers away, and studied the newly placed wedding ring. ,,That suits you."

Emma grinned and was about to answer when Veronica started fussing, the baby was obviously getting tired.

,,Looks like someone is ready for a nap," Emma observed.

,,Want me to tuck her in?" Snow offered.

,,No, that's all right, I've got her," Regina said and smiled.

,,I'll go with you," Emma said, leaving no room for argument. She had a feeling that their family would linger for quite a while and drown them in hugs and well-wishes. This was her chance to have a brief moment alone with her brand-new wife.

Regina didn't argue with it, simply excused herself and Emma, told their family that it would only be a moment.

,,Happy?" Emma checked as she followed Regina into the mansion, and then upstairs into the nursery.

,,What do you think?" Regina gently retorted and shifted Veronica in her arms to use her free hand to give Emma's cheek a light pet.

,,So no need for cigarettes?" Emma half-teased.

,,No, I think my smoking days are over," Regina said firmly as they helped each other change Veronica into her sleeper.

,,Good. I'm glad," Emma smiled.

,,So you're not gonna miss that particular Roni trait?" Regina inquired, a little smile tugging at her lips.

,,Nah, not that one," Emma grinned. ,,Her accent and slang, but not the smoking."

,,Her accent? This ain't Seattle, miss Swan," Regina answered, and Emma chuckled when she heard "Roni's" accent seeping through every word.

,,Any chance you'll speak like that for the rest of the day?" Emma innocently suggested.

,,Nah.." Regina teased, followed by a very Madam Mayor-like: ,,Keep dreaming."

Emma chuckled and cooed as they tucked Veronica in in her crib.

,,She should be out for a while, given how little she slept last night," Regina mused.

,,Hopefully she'll be good for David and Mary Margaret. Are you gonna be a good girl for grandma and grandpa, hmm?" Emma cooed and stroked Veronica's chubby cheek.

,,Gaah," Veronica said.

,,Was that a yes or a no?" Emma half-chuckled.

,,Good question," Regina said. ,,Either way, we should probably get back to the party."

,,Yes, we can't have our family think that we snuck off, can we?" Emma teased.

Regina scowled.

The newly weds returned to their waiting family in the backyard, David had magically found a bottle of champagne, (Emma suspected that he had in fact stolen it from Regina's collection) and insisted on a toast for the newlyweds.

,,To Emma and Regina," the prince declared with a grin plastered to his face.

The rest of the family quickly joined in the toast, and when Emma took the first sip of the champagne, she knew she was right. This _was_ in fact a bottle David had nicked from Regina's collection.

The celebration seemed to last at least a life time, as Regina later would describe it, and it involved emptying the champagne bottle, cutting a piece of the ridiculously large wedding cake, and Snow taking a number of pictures of the newlyweds. And then there was the first dance. An event Emma had looked forward to and dreaded. But Regina was surprisingly patient and was all smiles. Maybe that little bit of dance practice she'd had with David had paid off in the end.

Emma chuckled softly to herself as they twirled around. Dancing wasn't exactly what she and Regina had been doing the most. And Roni's "Seattle dance moves" did _not_ count. Not that they hadn't been good, oh, they had been _plenty_ good, but not exactly a waltz.

Once the first dance was over, and Snow had perpetuated the moment with her camera, David declared that "his granddaughter was tired of all the partying and needed a long nap".

That seemed to do the trick. Their family hugged them again and again, showered them with well-wishes and congratulations, and when Ella as the last one, hugged both of her mother-in-law's and then followed Henry and Lucy out of the mansion, Emma and Regina were suddenly left alone in the mansion..

 _ **To Be Continued…**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 22:**

,,Mission accomplished," Regina observed and chuckled a little.

,,Indeed."

Emma flashed her brand-new wife a smile and then the blonde listened. The mansion was so _quiet_. True, there had been plenty of people all day, but it wasn't just that.

It was the absence of Veronica. Their little bird who usually giggled all day long, left the house oddly quiet, and Emma caught herself thinking that the little girl was up to no good since she was so quiet. Then she remembered that Veronica wasn't here and laughed at her own mistake.

"What's funny?" Regina asked and raised an eyebrow.

"I just keep fooling myself into thinking that Ronica is here and doing something she can't." Emma explained.

Regina chuckled. "Yes, the house _is_ rather quiet without her."

"Very."

Regina's arms suddenly wrapped around Emma, brining her closer. "It's just you and me tonight."

Emma sniggered fondly and clasped her hands around the back of Regina's neck. "Are you coming on to me, Madam Mayor?"

"Well, I'm certainly _trying_ ," Regina quipped and pressed a light kiss to Emma's jaw. "Do let me know if it's working."

"Hmm, let's see..." Emma drawled. "My wife, trying to seduce me by finding all my weak spots. Yes, it's working."

"Good," Regina chuckled. "because tomorrow this house will be flooded with people stopping by and congratulating us _again_."

"I know," Emma said darkly. "But tonight, we're on our own."

"Hmm, tonight we're in Seattle," Regina hummed into Emma's neck.

Emma chuckled. She knew exactly what Regina meant. There hadn't been so many interruptions in Seattle. Apart from the occasional, weird "flashing lights" outside "Roni's" apartment, absolutely nothing had been in their way. They were alone. Well, except for Lady, but the cocker spaniel was currently out cold somewhere in the mansion.

Emma found Regina's lips with her own, and she could feel how the brunette immediately responded to the kiss.

Emma wasn't quite sure how long they kissed. It could have been a few hours, could also have been a couple of minutes only. But she did know she hadn't had the opportunity to kiss Regina like this for quite a while. The house had been crowded by Zelena and Mary Margaret who both had been chatting on about the wedding.

"Do you wanna take this upstairs?" Regina suggested, and then, after a pause: "I think my feet are dying."

Emma chuckled. _That_ she could understand. Regina was wearing insanely high heels.

"So take your heels off," the blonde suggested, and Regina quickly bent down, loosening the straps around her ankles and taking the high heeled shoes off.

Emma smiled widely. For some reason, she suddenly appreciated the fact that Regina was several inches shorter than her when she didn't wear her killer heels.

"What?" Regina asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing".

Regina's mouth twisted in a sort of half-smile. "Are you silently mocking my lack of height, miss Swan?"

"Swan- _Mills_ ," Emma immediately corrected. "And no, I would never dream of doing that."

Regina didn't look like she believed Emma one bit, but Emma interrupted her suspicion by taking her hand. "Upstairs. Unless you prefer that I ravish you on the couch."

" _Ravish_ me?" Regina said, and now she really _did_ look amused.

"Yep. Come on." Emma insisted and tugged at Regina's hand.

"Whatever my wife desires."

Emma's breath practically hitched in her throat at that. Hearing Regina call her "my wife" could definitely turn into a kink if not careful.

 _Well, I guess there are worse kinks than that_ …

They finally made it into the bedroom, and Regina started working on the buttons in her dress.

Emma batted her hand away, and Regina tilted her head quizzically.

" _I_ want to undress you," Emma said.

"Oh."

As Emma slowly undid the buttons in Regina's dress, it occurred to her that it wasn't very often _she_ undressed Regina first. Usually, Regina undressed Emma, and then got rid of her own clothing when things heated up. And Emma wondered exactly why that was. But she knew better than to ask right now. Instead she kissed the part of Regina's back she just exposed. She heard Regina exhale softly and goosebumps appeared on her back.

It didn't take long before Regina's dress ended up as a silky bundle on the floor, and Regina rejected Emma's suggestion about hanging it into the closet.

"Just leave it, dear. We'll fix it tomorrow."

"Okay, who are you, and what have you done with Regina Mills?" Emma half chuckled.

"Let's blame Roni and her habit of leaving her clothes everywhere," Regina said nonchalantly and opened the first button in Emma's dress.

"We can't have your dress getting lonely, can we?" Emma quipped as the wedding dress slipped from her shoulders as Regina pushed it off her frame.

"No, that would be horrible," Regina said dryly and her arms winded around Emma's neck again.

Emma willingly responded to the kiss and felt herself being pushed backwards until the back of her knees hit the bed. She squealed when Regina gave her a rather soft but effective push that sent her landing on her back on the bed.

"No shoes in the bed," Regina joked as she undid the straps on Emma's shoes and dropped them to the floor.

Emma laughed at Regina's sudden playfulness. Out of all of Regina's moods, this was definitely in the top five. There was nothing quite like a playful Regina. It was like she became younger, and less "marked" by everything that had happened to her.

Emma felt a rush of joy when she realized that _she_ was a part of the reason as to why Regina was smiling more and more often.

"What is it?" Regina asked and ran a finger up Emma's naked arm.

"I just love you," Emma grinned.

"I love you too. That's why we're here, right?" Regina softly quipped.

"Mhmm, that is it."

Every last coherent thought left Emma's mind completely when Regina flipped them, so the blonde was on top of her.

Emma couldn't think of anything but the beautiful woman underneath her, who wrapped her legs around Emma's hips and tugged at her bra strap.

And why think anyway? Nothing deserved her attention more than the woman who was now her wife…

 **To Be Continued?**


	23. Chapter 23

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 _ **Part 23**_

Surprisingly enough, Emma is the first one to wake up the following morning. But this time around, her brain had absolutely no problem with remembering what happened yesterday.

Yesterday she married Regina.

Regina, who was currently still fast asleep next to her. Emma chuckled softly at the sight. Regina was a beautiful mess of dark, tangled curls, still flushed skin and a few, _ahem_ , "marks" here and there on her neck.

Emma chuckled again. The sheets around them was completely messed up. Regina's left leg appeared to be quite entangled in the material. In fact, it's not only the _bed_ that's a bit of a mess. The _bedroom_ is a bit of a mess. Their dresses were still lying on the floor, their shoes lie abandoned somewhere in the bedroom, and Emma was positive, she just saw Regina's bra peek up from somewhere underneath the sheets.

A successful wedding night indeed.

Emma stretched in the bed. Her muscles felt a bit like jelly, and she has absolutely no desire to leave this bed. Ever.

But now she's awake, and she's positive that she can't fall asleep again.

And that doesn't bother her one bit. Emma waved her hand, making the window open just a bit. The bedroom was feeling rather warm. Or maybe _she_ was feeling warm. Either way, the light summer breeze felt nice.

The sun peeked in through the creak in the curtains, and Emma watched in awe as the streams hit Regina's naked back, making her skin glow olive.

 _I can't believe I'm_ _married_ _to her. How the hell did I ever get so fucking lucky_?

"What 'ya looking at?" Regina slurred sleepily.

"Good morning, _Roni_ ," Emma sniggered.

"Wha'?" Regina said, and then it occurred to her what Emma was referring to. "Oh."

"Am I married to her, too?" Emma inquired softly and ran a finger up and down Regina's back.

"She seems to pop up now and then. I can't help it." Regina said and brushed her curls away from her face.

"I don't mind it," Emma assured. "You know I'm crazy about her."

Regina smiled lazily. "Well, I guess she _is_ to blame for all of this."

"Mhmm, I'm forever grateful to and for Roni," Emma chuckled.

Regina muttered something about the unexpected perks of having a cursed life, and Emma chuckled again.

"What time is it?" Regina asked and raised on her elbow.

"I have no idea, and I don't care. We don't have to worry about being anything for anyone today," Emma reminded her.

"I'm pretty sure our daughter would disagree with you."

"My parents can take care of her for a little while longer. Stay in Seattle with me."

Regina muttered something that sounded like "this ain't Seattle, miss Swan," but nevertheless she snuggled closer to Emma and wrapped her arms around her.

Emma exhaled softly and traced a finger along Regina's bare arm. This was _heaven_. Absolute heaven. And what's more, it wasn't false or cursed or messed up in any way.

This was how things were now. She and Regina were married. That was the truth.

Regina squirmed when Emma's hand wandered from her arms to her stomach. The blonde lightly brushed her fingertip over the jewel in Regina's belly button.

"You have a fetish, dear," Regina slyly informed her.

"I'm still amazed," Emma grinned. "I mean, you and body piercings."

"You are acting as if I had a whole bunch of them," Regina huffed. "It's just _one_."

"And then there's _this_ one," Emma continued and ignored Regina's words as switched her attention to the feather tattoo on her wife's wrist.

"Now _that_ wasn't me. That was all Roni." Regina protested.

"Have you continued to get one more?" Emma asked and ignored Regina's protests again.

"Yes. An apple red as blood." Regina said completely seriously.

Emma gaped.

"I'm _kidding_ ," Regina sniggered and rolled her eyes. "God, you're so gullible sometimes. I'm obviously not getting an apple tattooed on my body."

"I actually think it would suit you," Emma mused.

"Oh yes?"

"Yep." The Savior grinned and gave Regina's hip a teasing little squeeze. "And you should get it right… here."

"Right. An apple on my hip. _Very_ classy, miss Swan," Regina said and rolled her eyes again.

"Or…. Here," Emma purred and gave Regina's outer thigh a light pet.

"Keep dreaming."

"Or maybe even… _here_ ," Emma continued as she proceeded to caress Regina's inner thigh instead.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not looking for tattoo placements anymore?" came Regina's somewhat strangled answer.

Emma grinned as she rolled on top of Regina. "Tell me then, Madam Mayor. What _am_ I looking for?"

"To get lucky?" Regina suggested rather bluntly.

Now Emma was cackling. "And will I?"

"You could try?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yes. And I'm getting impatient," Regina warned and wrapped her legs around Emma.

"And we _really_ can't have that, can we?"

"Enough talking," Regina said as she effortlessly flipped them over, so she was the one on top.

Emma didn't even get the chance to laugh about Regina's impatience. Suddenly her lips were very much otherwise engaged…

"I like being married," Regina stated plainly a few hours later, when they're still very much in bed.

"So do I." Emma grinned.

"Who knew marriage could be this… _good_?" Regina mused more to herself than to Emma.

"So, no second thoughts, Madam Mayor?"

"None," Regina assured and pulled her legs out of the tangled sheets.

"Where are you going?"

"To take a shower."

"Perfect. I'm coming with you," Emma announced and got out of bed in top speed.

"I fear we won't get much showering done then."

"My point exactly," Emma grinned and followed Regina into the bathroom.

Regina was right. The effect of the shower was fairly wasted, but somehow, they managed to make it out of the bathroom eventually.

Emma thought she'd had her fair share of tragedies already so far, but none of them quite matched up to seeing Regina getting dressed. Now _there_ was a real tragedy.

 _Wait, hold on_. Regina was getting dressed, yes. But not exactly in her usual pantsuits or "sensible" skirts. Instead she opted for a pair of "Roni's" black jeans and her Rick James shirt with the leopard print.

Emma wouldn't be surprised if her jaw hit the floor, but Regina seemed completely unfazed by her surprise.

"Are you planning on staying cooped up in the house all day?" Emma asked.

"No, why on earth would I do that? It's a beautiful day."

"But…"

"But _what_ , Em- _ma_?" Regina drawled as she pulled the shirt over her head and smoothed it slightly.

"Your clothes… It's..." Emma said half-heartedly without actually having a clue about what she was going to say.

Regina chuckled warmly. "It's a little different from what I usually wear in Storybrooke, yes, but it's light and airy and it will keep me comfortable for the rest of the day."

"So you're actually planning on walking around dressed like that all day?" Emma asked and now she was grinning.

"Yes, indeed," Regina said as she quickly combed her hair. "I seriously doubt that anyone will notice something as trivial as my choice of wardrobe."

"Oh, trust me, Regina. They'll _notice_ ," Emma grinned.

Regina simply shrugged.

"What changed?" Emma asked curiously. "You've never wanted to "bring" Roni out before."

"Well, your mother brings Mary Margaret out constantly, and your father brings David Nolan out. They to have made peace with their cursed identities, so why shouldn't I?"

"So, you're saying you're tired of hiding Roni?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I like her," Regina grinned. "And it's a terrible shame to hide her all the time."

"It is. And I like her, too. In fact, I _love_ her," Emma said.

That made Regina's grin widen and her eyes sparkled as she lightly brushed her hand over her shirt. "You should get dressed, miss- _Mrs._ Swan-Mills. Our daughter is probably missing us."

Emma quickly wiggled into a pair of jeans and put on a tanktop, and it struck her how _similar_ she and "Roni" dressed. For some reason, Emma actually quite liked it.

Regina clapped her hands once and Lady emerged from her "hiding spot" in the nursery and wagged her tail eagerly at the prospect of going out.

"Where do you think " _The Tramp_ " is?" Emma asked as Regina patted Lady.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on, Regina. Don't try and tell me that _isn't_ Lady from _Lady and the Tramp_ ," Emma huffed. She had spent enough time in Storybrooke to know that nothing ever was as simple as it seemed.

Regina grinned a little as she scratched Lady's ear. "I can neither confirm nor deny that theory. I only know that Ron- _I_ found Lady in a dumpster, and since then, she kept following me around everywhere."

"Maybe she's both Lady _and_ the Tramp," Emma mused. "I mean, it wouldn't be the first time the fairytales have been a bit twisted."

Regina chuckled. "As long as she doesn't start talking all the sudden."

Emma looked pending at Lady, but the cocker spaniel didn't have anything to say and simply sniffed at Regina's hand, looking for treats.

"Lady _can't_ talk, dear," Regina said sternly.

"Sure about that?"

" _Yes_." Regina said firmly and rose from her kneeling position. "Breakfast at Granny's?"

"Sounds good," Emma nodded. "I'm _starving_."

"Me too. Come on, Lady."

They left the mansion with Lady trailing along behind them. Regina had finally dropped putting a leash on her. The cocker spaniel didn't need one. She always followed Regina like a shadow.

Veronica ended up finding her two mothers before they found her. Emma and Regina had only made it to Main Street before they heard Snow White calling out to them. And when they turned around, they saw the princess approach them, pushing a stroller and accompanied by her husband.

"Oh. I was just on my way over to you," Snow said as Veronica stretched her chubby little arms out towards Emma.

"Has she been good?" Emma asked and lifted Veronica out of the stroller and cuddled the girl into her chest.

"Yes, yes, an absolute…." Snow trailed off, and Emma whipped her head around to find out why. The reason made her chuckle. Snow was currently tilting her head and staring at Regina's choice of wardrobe.

"Angel," Snow finished her sentence. "She's been an absolute angel. Regina, what are you _wearing_?"

Both Emma and David chuckled at that.

"What does it look like I'm wearing, dear? Clothes, obviously," Regina drawled.

"Don't be rude to your mother-in-law," Snow sing-song'ed, and grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

Regina grimaced and snatched Veronica from Emma's arms. "Don't," she warned Snow. "Just… Don't."

"The family tree is turning into quite the joke," David muttered and looked like he was trying not to smile.

"I gave up on the family tree a long time ago," Regina said and dropped a light kiss on Veronica's forehead. "Mommy missed you."

"If you can't handle being away from her for one night, how are you gonna manage the honeymoon?" Snow asked casually.

"That is a very good question," Regina muttered. "I'm tempted to take her with us."

"Let's go and get some breakfast," Emma interrupted. She loved her daughter _very much_ , to the moon and back. She would go through hell for Veronica, but bringing her along on the honeymoon? No. That simply wasn't an option.

Neither Snow nor Regina seemed to have noticed Emma's abrupt change of subject, but David did, and he sniggered quietly as he shot his daughter an amused glance.

Granny's Diner was already pretty crowded, and the little family was immediately joined by Henry and Zelena.

"Well, well, if it isn't the newlyweds," Zelena drawled. "And I thought you two would be far too busy to leave the house today."

"Zelena, do you mind?" Henry complained. "I don't wanna know, okay?"

"Ignore her, Henry," Regina said and shot her sister one of her famous glares.

Emma rolled her eyes at Zelena like the former Wicked Witch was completely wrong in her assumption.

 _She has a point though. We barely made it out of the shower…_

 _ **To Be Continued…**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 _ **Part 24**_

Emma was tempted to exclaim a loud "ha!" when she returned home from work that evening.

This was it. Last day at work. No more desk job. All she needed to do, was to pack the last few things, and then next stop Honolulu.

Well, almost. Next stop was a quick stopover in Los Angeles, but _then_ they would be getting on a plane to Hawaii, and _then_ it would be next stop Honolulu.

Honolulu and three uninterrupted weeks of pure Regina.

There would be no one to bang on their door and interrupt them. There would be no one calling the sheriff of Storybrooke, and there would be no mayoral duties waiting for Regina.

Three weeks of uninterrupted bliss.

 _Uninterrupted_. Undisturbed. It would just be them. Emma and Regina. On their honeymoon.

Emma grinned as she entered the mansion. She was just about to yell some cliché like "honey, I'm home" to irritate Regina, but that idea completely left her brain when she heard Regina's voice float through the kitchen:

"She's got a smile it seems to me  
Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything  
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky…"

Emma could have sworn her face was splitting in half. That's how hard she smiled at the sound. Hearing Regina sing was something- well, calling it _magical_ would most likely be a little much given this was a town crammed with magic, but Regina's voice was damn close to being magical. So _pure_ , so sweet, so very clear.

"Now and then when I see her face  
She takes me away to that special place  
And if I'd stare too long  
I'd probably break down and cry.

Oh, oh, oh  
Sweet child o' mine  
Oh, oh, oh, oh  
Sweet love of mine..."

Emma was completely enchanted by the sound and didn't realize the front door had opened once more until Henry was standing right next to her. At first, her son tilted his head in confusion, but then he found the source as to why Emma was "lurking" in the hall, and he smiled just as widely as his mother did. Emma put a finger on her lip to prevent him from "revealing" them. Henry nodded conspiratorially.

"She's got eyes of the bluest skies

As if they thought of rain

I hate to look into those eyes

And see an ounce of pain

Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place

Where as a child I'd hide

And pray for the thunder

And the rain

To quietly pass me by

Oh, oh, oh

Sweet child o' mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Sweet love of mine."

Emma heard Veronica squeal in delight over Regina's singing, and Regina laughed warmly. "Is that your favorite song, little bird? You have such good taste in music, sweetie. Yes, you have, yes you have."

Emma's grin widened further. There was only one thing better than hearing Regina singing. And that was hearing her babble to their daughter.

Veronica squealed again.

"Really?" Emma and Henry heard Regina answer. "Yes, I do believe you're right about that, sweetie. And you know what _I_ think? I think your mommy and brother should come in here and join us instead of lurking in the hall. Don't you think so, little bird?"

Veronica cooed in agreement.

"Busted." Henry chuckled.

"I could sense your mother's magic a mile away," came the response from the kitchen.

Emma sniggered as she and Henry trotted into the kitchen. Lady looked up from her spot underneath the table and wagged her tail.

"It's not nice to spy on people." Regina greeted them and raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't spying on people," Emma denied. "I was spying on my _wife_."

Regina shook her head and looked at Henry. "And what's _your_ excuse, dear?"

"I was… spying on my mother?" Henry suggested and for a moment he looked like a fourteen-year-old kid again and not the husband and father he actually was.

"That's not a very good excuse…" Regina muttered but nevertheless gave her son a hug.

"Don't _I_ get a hug?" Emma asked.

"Have you deserved one?" Regina teased.

"I happened to have been sitting on my ass all day, sorting through the reports, _and_ updated the computer system. _Without_ using magic. Yeah, I damn well think I deserve one."

"And yet you haven't worked on your language," Regina said, but nevertheless gave Emma a hug _and_ a kiss on the cheek.

"Merciful after all," Emma noted and took the opportunity to secure her arms around Regina for a second. It would only be a moment before Regina would wiggle out of her grasp. After all, their son was present.

"A newly acquired skill," Regina answered, and Emma's prophesy came true, when the brunette slinked out of her grasp.

Henry chuckled. "So, are you two ready to venture out in the Land Without Magic?"

"Absolutely." Emma said and lifted Veronica out of the high chair. "Of course it's gonna be tough to have to leave this little bird behind, but…"

"I'm confident her grandparents, aunt and brother will treat her like a princess." Regina said and smiled.

"Count on that." Henry said. "Nothing is too good for the youngest Mills."

" _Swan_ -Mills, dear," Regina immediately corrected.

"Right. I saw you changed the name on the office door. It looks good," Henry commented.

"You did?" Emma asked and blinked a little.

"Of course I did." Regina said nonchalantly. "I'm not Mayor _Mills_ anymore, am I?"

"Seriously?" Emma grinned. "It says "Mayor Swan-Mills" on the door?"

"Indeed." Regina confirmed. "I dislike incorrect information."

"I should change it to "Sheriff Swan-Mills"," Emma muttered and bounced Veronica a little in her arms.

"It's not a demand, sweetheart," Regina assured. "I just figured, since we're married..."

Emma missed the rest of the sentence. There was only one word she was focused on.

 _Married_.

She was actually _married_ to Regina.

Yep, after a week of marriage, that still felt amazing. And it was even better to say "my wife".

"Oh, and by the way, your mother called and invited us for dinner tonight," Regina said over her shoulder as she continued to fold Veronica's clothing.

"And you said yes?"

"Saying no wasn't even an option," Regina said and rolled her dark eyes a little. "It was more a demand than a request really."

Henry chuckled and snatched Veronica from Emma's arms.

"There goes my hopes for a quiet evening in," Emma muttered.

"Well, they say you have to pick your fights, and arguing with your mother about dinner, is _not_ one my battles," Regina said. "So I suggest you suck it up, Swan."

"You _do_ realize we have to be at Boston Airport at 5 in the morning, right?"

Regina shrugged. "You have exactly two hours before we have to be at your parent's house. Use them wisely."

Henry did his best to hide his amusement at their banter, but he failed utterly.

" _Fine_. I will," Emma grumbled, gave Veronica a light kiss on her chubby cheek and gave Henry's arm a light pat. "Goodnight, kids," she said sarcastically and spun around on her heel. Halfway up the stairs she heard Regina say:

"Sleep well, sweetheart."

Emma just grumbled in response.

Henry chuckled, and Emma didn't even flinch when Henry said to Regina: "I thought _you_ were the grumpy one."

"Watch it, young man."

Emma actually managed to get not two, but one hour of sleep, and she felt much better when she woke up.

She found Regina in the kitchen, doing the rest of the dishes. There was no sign of Veronica anywhere, so Emma guessed Regina had put her down for a little nap. _Oh, well, since there's no little bird around to disturb us…_

Emma crept up behind Regina and wrapped her arms around her waist. She took the opportunity to inhale the scent of Regina's hair and then nuzzled her nose against the brunette's neck.

"What are you doing, Swan?"

"Apologizing for being cranky?"

"When were you being cranky?" Regina asked, and Emma was certain she was raising an eyebrow.

"Before I went upstairs to take a nap…"

"Were you? I didn't notice that. But if this is your way of apologizing, you are doing a remarkable job, dear."

Emma chuckled and gave Regina a light kiss on the side of her neck.

The response came instantly. Regina exhaled softly, followed by a content: "Mhmm..."

Emma pressed her lips against Regina's neck again. This time, a bit further down. She had learned a long time ago, that Regina's neck was a _very_ sensitive spot.

"Emma…" Regina warned, but her head nevertheless lolled back against Emma's shoulder.

"What? I'm just trying to apologize." Emma claimed and pushed Regina's hair away to reveal more of her neck.

"Getting me worked up an hour before we're supposed to be at your parents is _not_ the proper way to apologize."

"Worked up?" Emma teased. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

"I believe the term you're looking for is "horny", but I'm not too fond of that word," Regina said nonchalantly.

Honestly, now _Emma_ was the one who was getting "worked up". Hearing the word "horny" coming out of Regina's mouth was enough to make her knees weak. Or just Regina swearing in general.

"Yeah, okay, maybe we _should_ save it for the honeymoon," Emma muttered and loosened her grip around Regina's waist a little.

"You are the worst tease I have ever met," Regina grumbled and pushed Emma's hands away from her body.

" _I_ am?"

Regina scoffed. "You called that _apologizing_?"

"Yes? What else would I call it?"

"Foreplay." Regina said plainly.

Emma sniggered. She should probably be feeling guilty about getting Regina so "worked up", but instead she felt proud about how _fast_ she managed to get Regina "worked up".

An hour later, Emma, Regina and Veronica knocked on the door to Snow and Charming's house.

They were greeted by David who ushered them inside with a big smile on his face. "Do come in, ladies. Snow went out to buy wine, but she'll probably be back in a second."

And Emma and Regina didn't manage to spend more than two minutes at the Charming's before Snow returned home, with a bottle of wine and quite the uncomfortable look on her face.

"Hey, mom," Emma grinned and gave Mary Margaret a quick hug. "Why do you look like the birds have stopped singing to you?"

Regina sniggered quietly.

"I literally just bumped into Maleficent," Mary Margaret said and returned her daughters hug. "I'm not sure who was the most uncomfortable, me or her. I obviously tried to apologize since it was my fault, but she didn't want to hear any of it."

"I'm sure she'll live," Regina shrugged as she was next in line for a hug. "Dragons can't be reasoned with. But try to appear less afraid of her the next time."

"I'm _not_ afraid of her," Snow quickly denied.

Regina raised an eyebrow and took a sip from the glass of wine David had just offered her. "Oh. Well, I'm just saying, I wouldn't blame you if you were. She can be quite intimidating when she wants too."

Emma tried to stall her irritation. The "Maleficent-subject" was still iffy to her. _Why couldn't she have been a brunette instead_? _Why a blonde_? Lila from Hyperion Heights had been a blonde, too, and Emma didn't like to think that Regina had a "type".

"Would you relax?" Regina said calmly and took Emma's hand.

Emma blinked. Apparently, she wasn't very good at hiding her emotions.

"I don't _like_ her," Emma muttered.

Regina rolled her eyes.

"Who, Maleficent?" Snow asked a little surprised. "Why? You and Lily seems to get along fine, so why don't you like Maleficent? I mean, she hasn't _done_ anything to you, has she?"

"I'm afraid that's _my_ fault," Regina interrupted before Emma had even opened her mouth. "I once made the mistake of revealing that Maleficent and I- well, were a bit _more than friends_ , and now she has turned into quite the pet peeve for your daughter."

David choked on his wine and Snow just gaped.

"You and _Maleficent_?" the princess exclaimed, and her green eyes threatened to pop out of her head.

"Yes, yes, a long time ago. Shall we eat dinner now?" Regina said.

" _You_ and _Maleficent_?!" Snow repeated. "But… I…. How? When? Where? _Why_?"

But Regina simply held her hand up. "I don't have anything further to say. Subject closed."

"But…"

" _Closed_." Regina warned, this time a bit more sternly. "I'm not having this conversation while my wife and daughter is present.

Snow looked like she was about to ask a million more questions, but the look Regina gave was unmistakable. ,,Enough. Let it go."

"Okay, okay." Snow said. "I surrender."

"That makes a first." Regina muttered, and both Emma and David bursted out laughing.

Maleficent weren't mentioned more during dinner, but Emma _did_ catch Snow send Regina some rather interesting looks.

 _ **To Be Continued..**_


	25. Chapter 25

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 25**

Emma felt surprisingly awake that night when she and Regina packed the last few things and stuffed their luggage into the Mercedes. Snow and David had agreed to "house-sit" the next three weeks. It was better for Veronica to be at home, among her own things.

Emma had just stuffed their suitcases into the Mercedes when Snow and David pulled up in front of the mansion.

"Hey, Regina, I think they're here now."

Regina didn't answer, and Emma hadn't expected her too, either. Regina was currently upstairs in the nursery, freaking out over leaving their little girl behind.

Emma left her wife to have her "moment" and went into the hall to let her parents in.

"Good morning, guys," she said and suppressed a yawn.

"Bright and early," David quipped and gave his daughter a quick hug, despite having seen her that evening.

"Mm, something like that," Emma said.

"Where's Regina?" Snow asked as she shrugged her coat off and left it on one of the hangers.

"With Veronica. Freaking out," Emma said truthfully.

"Oh. Having trouble leaving without the little bird?" Snow said understandingly.

"Yup. Regina?" Emma called up the stairs again, and this time, Lady came trotting down the stairs. Which could only mean one thing. Regina was on the move, so to speak.

And Regina indeed came down the stairs two seconds later, scowling slightly, but with dry eyes. So Emma had been wrong in her assumption. No tears over having to leave Veronica for three weeks.

"You ready?" Emma asked and flashed her a smile.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Regina answered surprisingly calm.

"And are you…. Okay?" Emma asked, still trying to figure out Regina's current state of mind.

"Yes," Regina half-laughed. "I'm done _freaking out_ as you put it."

"Good. I'm happy to hear that."

"Are _you_ ready, miss Swan?"

" _Mrs._ Swan-Mills," Snow immediately corrected, and Regina lifted an eyebrow.

"I've been calling your daughter miss Swan for seven years. Forgive me for forgetting her new title from time to time."

" _Title_ ," Emma scoffed. "You make it sound as if I've been promoted or something like that."

"And haven't you?" Regina asked calmly and gave Emma's shoulder a light brush with her fingertips.

David sniggered. "One hell of a promotion."

Regina stoically ignored that. "We should probably get going. It would be a shame to miss our flight."

"Right. I'm going upstairs to Veronica. Do you want to come with, or have you said goodbye already?"

"I'm done." Regina said grimly. "If I'm going up there it would be to grab her and strap her into the car seat."

Emma chuckled a little at that and went upstairs closely followed by Lady. The cocker spaniel watched Emma's every move, and Emma felt equally guilty for leaving the dog behind, as well as the baby.

Emma decided to for once ignore Regina's rule about never waking their daughter when she was asleep. Veronica was a good sleeper. She would fall right back asleep as soon as Emma put her back down in the crib.

"Mommy's gonna miss you," Emma cooed to the baby as she picked her up and hugged her tightly.

Veronica cooed softly and flashed Emma a drippily smile.

"The next time we're going on vacation, you're coming with us," Emma promised. "But I'm afraid there's no babies allowed on the honeymoon, Roni…"

"….Yes?" Regina said from downstairs, and Emma grinned when she realized that the brunette had thought Emma was talking to _her_.

"Not you," Emma called back. "I was talking to Veronica."

"Oh. Well, stop confusing me," Regina snapped, and Emma buried her chuckle in Veronica's soft curls. Regina's attempt at covering up the fact that she still was responding to her curse name was charming. No pun intended.

"Goodbye, sweet girl," Emma sing-songed to Veronica. "Be a good girl for your grandparents, okay?"

"Gaaah," Veronica said, and Emma chose to take that as a yes.

The blonde reluctantly put the little girl back in her crib and gave her forehead a wet kiss. Then she walked back downstairs, closely followed by Lady.

"Our daughter was as cheerful as ever," Emma reported, and then, smirking slightly: "We better get going, _Roni_."

"Stop _confusing_ me, Emma," Regina warned.

"I was just joking," Emma said and tried to bite back her chuckle.

"It's not funny," Regina scowled. "I accidentally answered the Town Hall phone as "Roni" after talking to you,"

"And who was in the other end?" Snow asked while David and Emma bursted out laughing.

"Leroy. He thought he was talking to my new secretary," Regina said grimly.

Now Snow laughed too, and Emma gave Regina a little nudge. Regina didn't look too pleased and she muttered something that sounded like "split personality".

"Alright, joke's aside," Emma said. ,,Let's get going."

"Yes, lets," Regina said and tossed Emma the car keys. "You'll drive."

"You're actually letting me drive the Mercedes?" Emma asked and blinked a little.

"Yes, and that probably makes me insane. Let's go," Regina said lightly.

Snow and David followed the pair outside, and Snow and David once again hugged their daughter. And then Regina.

"So, do I have to remind you to be nice to my daughter?" David said dead-seriously but with a glint in his eyes as he hugged Regina.

"Dad!" Emma interjected.

"I would appreciate if you didn't," Regina drawled. "I'm perfectly capable of being nice to her."

Emma shot Regina a warning glance. David might not have picked up on the not-so-subtle meaning behind the words, but Emma had.

Regina just smirked innocently and gave David another hug for good measurement.

Snow quirked an eyebrow at Emma. Apparently, _she_ had no problem with reading between the lines.

 _Great, just great. That was probably revenge for the "Roni"- comment._

"See you in three weeks, dear," Regina said as she hugged Snow. "Try not to destroy Storybrooke while I'm gone."

"We wouldn't dare," Henry teased, and both Emma and Regina turned around. So their son had decided to come and see them off.

"Have a nice trip," Henry said as he hugged both of his mothers.

"Thank you, kid. Take care of your little sister, okay?"

"Always." Henry promised.

Emma climbed into the Mercedes and waited as Regina gave Henry one extra hug and a kiss on the forehead.

After one last goodbye and well wishes from Snow and David, Regina joined Emma in the car. Emma smiled and started the engine. "Next stop, Boston."

"Indeed."

Emma honked and ignored Regina's hissing warning about not waking Veronica, and then she turned the Mercedes around, steering towards the town line.

"Hand," Regina said plainly, and Emma immediately abandoned the wheel with one hand and extended it out toward Regina.

Regina waved her hand lightly over Emma's, and Emma could see and feel how her wedding ring started to glow purple, and she knew that Regina had just used it to contain her memories.

Emma smiled brightly as Regina did the same to her own wedding ring.

"There," Regina said. "Now we won't forget who we are."

Emma nodded and was immediately taken back to their "trip" to Seattle.

Oh, how things had changed since then.

A second later they reached the town line, and Emma saw how Regina exhaled softly when the magic left her body. Emma could feel it too. The absence of her magic. It wasn't uncomfortable as such, just a little strange.

"Are you okay?" she asked Regina. Just to check. Just to make sure.

"Perfectly fine," Regina assured and patted Emma's knee. "But do you mind if I take a little nap? As you know Veronica was rather lively last night, and I didn't get much sleep…"

"Knock yourself out," Emma said. "I've got the road covered."

It barely took five minutes before Regina was fast asleep on the passenger seat, and the sight almost melted Emma's heart. No doubt Regina was a beautiful sleeper. And to think that she had actually let Emma drive the Mercedes. _That's gotta be a new milestone in our marriage_.

The journey to Boston Airport was long and quiet. Regina slept through it all, and Emma reminded herself to tell Henry about how his mother had trusted her enough to fall asleep on the passenger seat instead of barking orders to Emma.

Emma hummed quietly to herself. It wasn't pitch black outside anymore. The sky was blue and clear, and the sun was shining brightly. It would be another beautiful day.

 _Probably even nicer in Hawaii. I wonder how warm it is there_? Emma shot a quick look at Regina and smiled. Still completely unconscious. God, she was beautiful like that. All content and peaceful.

Exactly four hours and four minutes later, Emma pulled up in front of the airport. She gave Regina's knee a light pat. "Regina?"

Regina exhaled softly but didn't wake up.

"Babe?" Emma tried again, and knew that she was playing with fire. Regina probably wouldn't appreciate the pet name.

No response.

Emma decided to use "harsher methods" and she leaned in and gave Regina a light peck on the cheek. "Sleeping beauty? We're here."

"I'm _not_ Aurora," Regina mumbled and opened her eyes.

"But you _are_ beautiful when you sleep."

Regina ignored that and looked out. "Are we here already?"

"Yep," Emma grinned. "You've been out for four hours."

"Oh. Sorry about that. That must have been rather boring for you, dear. I assure you, I only intended to take a short nap."

"It's fine," Emma assured. "You can sleep as long as you want to. And you've got plenty of time to do it on the plane. Thirteen hours to be precise."

"No," Regina said firmly. "I didn't fly across the globe to be _asleep_."

Emma chuckled as they exited the Mercedes and grabbed their suitcases. Regina still looked a little tired when they checked in, but she quickly recovered and started chatting to Emma as they waited to board their plane.

They were talking about Henry and Veronica when their flight suddenly was announced over the speaker.

"Next stop, Honolulu," Emma grinned as they walked to the gate.

"Indeed so, _babe_ ," Regina taunted and wrapped an arm loosely around Emma's waist.

 _To Be Continued.._


	26. Chapter 26

_((Sex scene coming up in the end of this chapter. So there's that.))_

 **Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 26**

Thirteen hours later, they arrived at Honolulu Airport. Emma felt completely woozy and dizzy. Most like because of the time difference. They had just spent thirteen hours on a plane, and Honolulu was five hours behind Maine. Emma would need some time to get used to the time difference.

Regina quickly hailed a cab for them and Emma tried to keep her swimming head at bay as Regina told the driver where they were going.

"Tired?" Regina asked as the cab driver took them to their destination, Kailua.

"Knackered," Emma half-chuckled.

"Me, too."

"Vacation?" the cab driver asked and looked at them in the mirror.

"Honeymoon, actually," Regina corrected calmly, and Emma's mouth curved into a smile.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you," Regina answered and smiled slightly.

Emma tried her very best to stay awake on the short journey to Kailua Beach Park. Falling asleep in the cab wouldn't be very smart. That would probably make her even more confused than she was now.

Regina seemed surprisingly awake and she chit-chatted brightly with the cab driver. If she hadn't just told him that they were on honeymoon, Emma could almost suspect the guy for coming on to Regina. But that was probably just her sleep-deprived brain coming up with weird things.

Emma wasn't even aware that she had nodded off again, before Regina gave her a gentle nudge and said: "Emma? We're here."

"Already?" Emma slurred and fought to keep her eyes open as she more or less stumbled out of the car.

"Mhmm," Regina said over her shoulder as she thanked and paid the cab driver. He was all smiles when he handed them their luggage.

"You know, I think that guy was hitting on you," Emma muttered as the cab left them.

Regina quirked an eyebrow. "I don't think he did, dear. And _if_ he did… well, then I feel sorry for him."

Emma chuckled a little at that.

They walked the short distance from where they had been dropped off to Kailua beach, and Emma's mouth instantly fell open when she saw the view for the first time.

"Well, this certainly isn't Storybrooke, is it?" Regina nonchalantly commented.

"You're not seriously trying to tell me that you're not impressed by _this_?" Emma said a bit flabbergasted and gestured towards the white sand, the crystal clear, blue ocean and the palm trees lightly moving in the soft breeze.

"I'm actually _very_ impressed," Regina said and whipped out her phone and snapped a picture of the stunning view.

"Who are you sending that picture too?" Emma inquired as Regina tapped in something on her phone.

"Our son. And possibly your parents. I haven't decided yet," Regina smirked.

"Are you trying to make them jealous?"

"Well, your father so kindly asked me to "be nice to you"," Regina deadpanned, "so I figured he would be grateful for this first sign of life from us."

Emma shook her head. "I still can't believe he actually said that to you."

"Neither can I," Regina said completely dryly as they walked to the "mysterious beach house" she had rented for them.

"Yeah, when we get back he and I might need to have a serious "father-daughter talk" about it." Emma muttered.

Regina cackled. "Cut him some slack, dear. First, I hated you, then I tolerated you, then we were friends, then we weren't, then we were friends again. Then Seattle _happened_ , _then_ we adopted a daughter, and then we got married. I can't blame him for needing a bit of time to get used to the new reality."

"He should be better at adjusting," Emma quipped. "I mean, given how much he has already seen."

"Fair point."

They reached their destination and Emma gaped for the second time when Regina fumbled with the key and swung the door open.

 _Jesus Christ. When she said "beach house", this wasn't what I had expected_. Emma had expected something small and cozy. Like, a cottage with a bathroom, a bedroom and a kitchen. And that's it.

This…. This was so very far from it. A two-floor beach house with white walls, beautiful, light furniture's and enormous windows. You could literally see the beach from every window.

From what Emma could see, they had walked directly into the living room (what a living room! No doubt the biggest couch she had ever seen), and she could see the kitchen too. Emma just gaped like a not-very-intelligent fish as she looked around in the living room. It was so light and airy. She could hear the sound of the waves crashing up on the shore, and the house smelled of salt and water.

"I think this is rather nice, don't you?" Regina said and chuckled a little.

"Understatement of the century," Emma said plainly. "This house is fucking _insane_. But I love it."

"I figured you would," Regina said with a little glint in her dark eyes. "Not unbefitting for a queen and a Savior."

Emma felt ever so curious about the rest of the house, so she quickly went upstairs, where she found a large bathroom with a goddamn _spa_. Seriously, the spa looked like something straight out of a million-dollar house.

After admiring the spa (seriously, did they even _need_ one? The water was literally right outside), Emma continued into the bedroom.

She wasn't disappointed. The first thing that caught her eye were the French doors opening up to the balcony. What a view. Nothing but crystal blue water and perfect, white sand.

They wouldn't have any trouble with finding room for their clothes either. The closet was as large as the one they had back home in Storybrooke.

But what really took the attention, was definitely the bed. It was _huge_. As in fucking gigantic. All white with neat, cream colored bedding and what appeared to be a light canopy hanging above it.

 _Well, this gives the word "master bedroom" a whole new idea_.

Emma barely noticed that Regina had joined her before the brunette put a hand on her shoulder.

The blonde spun around and locked eyes with her wife. Regina was still smirking slightly.

"Jesus Christ," Emma said. Pretty vague for her, but she definitely meant it positive.

"Think you can live with this for three weeks, miss- _Mrs._ Swan-Mills?"

" _Live_ with it? Regina, this house is incredible." Emma said sincerely.

"Mhmm, perhaps we should buy it then," Regina mused as her arms winded around Emma's neck.

" _Buy_ it? Are we talking real right now?" Emma questioned and pulled away to look at the brunette.

Regina shrugged. "I could picture it. You, me, Veronica and Lady. It could be our little "hideout"."

Emma broke into a smile. "I could picture that too. Definitely."

Regina smiled and gave Emma a soft peck on the lips. "Get some sleep, dear. You're exhausted from the journey. We both are."

Emma's eyes darted from the bed to Regina, to the bed and then back to Regina again. It seemed almost blasphemous to just _sleep_ in that bed. It was clearly built for something that didn't involve must rest.

Regina chuckled again and released her grip around Emma. "Plenty of time for that later, sweetheart," she said and read Emma's mind completely.

 _Not just me who's in the gutter then._ Emma was about to tease Regina a bit about that, and to argue that she wasn't tired, when she picked up on something else.

"Can that be a thing?" she asked as Regina opened their suitcase and started to unpack.

"What?"

"You calling me sweetheart without blinking," Emma said and chuckled.

"Did I do that?" Regina countered and frowned softly as she carefully put their clothes away in the closet.

"Mm, you did," Emma confirmed and sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her shoes off.

"Hmm. I didn't notice."

"Why don't you do that more often?"

"Because your mother for some inexplainable reason always seems to be around, and she looks like she's about to choke on her emotions every time I call you something else than Emma." Regina said gravely.

Emma sniggered. That was the truth. There had been one time where Regina had called her "my darling", and Mary Margaret had looked like she was about to combust on the spot.

"She should know by now that I love you," Regina said almost a bit businesslike.

"Otherwise you're doing something wrong," Emma teased.

"I sincerely hope not." Regina finished stuffing their clothes away and she quickly changed out of her pencil skirt and blouse ( _why did she even bring that with her to Hawaii?!_ ) and into one of "Roni's" favorite long shirts to sleep in.

Emma smiled softly at the sight. Regina's hair was curling up because of the humidity, and with her curly hair and long t-shirt, she looked exactly like a certain, beautiful bartender Emma had met one night not so terribly long ago. _The night that lead to all of this_.

"Hi, Roni," Emma said softly and with absolutely no teasing.

"What can I get ya?" Regina joked, and Emma had to remind herself that she was too tired to rip Regina's shirt off and have her right then and there.

"Are you coming to bed?" Regina asked and snuggled up under the thin covers.

"You are adding gasoline to an already flickering bonfire," Emma warned and flashed Regina a crooked smile.

"You're tired," Regina reminded her. "And passing out in the middle of it would probably put a damper on the mood."

"Right." Emma grumbled and quickly changed out of her own clothes and into one of her tank tops. She left her clothes lying abandoned on the floor and climbed into the bed. She instantly scooted closer to Regina and nuzzled her nose into her hair.

"No neck kisses," Regina reminded her, and Emma giggled into her hair. She knew how easy it was to rile Regina up by kissing her neck. The slightest brush of Emma's lips, and Regina would inhale sharply and tense up.

"No neck kisses," Emma agreed, and after some consideration: "For now, at least."

Regina made a sound, something between a scoff, a chuckle and a yawn. "Go to sleep, Em- _ma_ ,"

" _You_ go to sleep," Emma rebutted, but she was definitely off her game right now when it came to bickering. She was far too tired.

And a second later she fell asleep with her arms wrapped securely around Regina.

Emma had absolutely no sensation of time when she woke up again. Was it morning or night? Light or dark? She didn't know. Well, it _did_ appear to be rather light outside. Maybe they had been asleep all day and night.

That didn't matter. The only thing that mattered, was that Regina was awake and looking at her.

"Hey," Emma rasped, and she quickly cleared her throat. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not that long," Regina assured.

Emma yawned a couple of times and brushed her hair away from her face. She didn't feel tired anymore, and she ran her fingers up and down Regina's bare arm. She hadn't intended it to be more than an innocent touch, a sweet way to say good morning, but she quickly picked up on how goosebumps appeared on Regina's skin. Maybe Regina wasn't feeling quite as innocent as Emma did right now.

Emma decided to test that theory, and she lifted Regina's shirt slightly to expose her lower back.

Regina quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Emma took that as permission and she quickly began to draw patterns on Regina's naked back.

Regina made a contend "mm!" sound in the back of her throat.

Emma grinned a little. She continued to draw patterns all over Regina's back for a little while. Then she decided to "heat things up" so to speak. She withdrew her hand from Regina's back, adjusted her nightshirt and then let her hand creep to Regina's front instead.

Regina yelped quietly and shot her wife another look when Emma rather unabashedly palmed her breast.

Emma batted her green eyes innocently. Okay, so she was being a bit crude now, but the hell with it. She happened to be certain that Regina didn't mind a bit of crude behavior right now. The way she insistently arched and pushed her breast into Emma's hand certainly revealed as much.

Suddenly, Regina pulled back, rolled on to her side and sat up in the bed. "Okay, that's enough grappling around," she said, and Emma smirked at the amazingly bad pun.

"Yes, do keep smirking, _miss_ Swan," Regina said silkily and yanked her nightshirt off. She quickly wiped the smirk from Emma's face by pulling the tanktop over her head and throwing it on the floor.

 _Okay, straight to the point then. Fantastic_.

Emma giggled rather breathlessly when Regina shoved her onto her back and slotted their lips together in a heated kiss. Emma locked her fingers in Regina's hair, and it was her turn to yelp when she felt Regina's hands on her breasts. Regina alternated between circling her nipples with her fingers and squeezing her breast softly.

Emma's breath completely hitched, and the all too familiar heat flowed down her spine and settled between her legs. _Jeez, that was fast, what am I, sixteen_?

She certainly _felt_ like some horny teenager right now and she wrapped her legs around Regina's waist.

"Careful, sweetheart," Regina warned into her neck. "If you do that I can't move, and I'm sensing that you need me _elsewhere_."

Well, if that wasn't the truth. Emma felt rather soaked and every single nerve in her body was currently begging for Regina.

"You'll have to release me if you want my help," Regina drawled and glided her lips over an oh-so-sensitive spot on Emma's neck.

Emma reluctantly removed her legs from Regina's waist, but she didn't let her go right away. First, she cupped her face, pulled her up and kissed the brunette deeply and a bit messily to be honest.

Regina smirked as she broke the kiss. She shot Emma a perfectly innocent look and then she dived down and wrapped her lips around Emma's pebbled nipple.

Emma gasped sharply and her back arched almost painfully. This was both torture and paradise all the same. Seattle, Storybrooke or Hawaii, what did it matter? _Regina_ was the only thing she could think of. The only thing she could feel. The only thing she could hear. The only thing she could see.

" _Fuck_!" she cursed when she, without much warning felt Regina's knee rub against her crotch.

Regina hummed slightly, as in appreciation over Emma's outburst and she rubbed her knee against Emma's core again.

"You…. Are… not playing…...fair," Emma moaned and moved in tandem to grind herself against Regina's knee.

"And have you ever asked me to?" Regina asked softly and a bit menacing as she rubbed her knee against Emma again.

" _Regina_ ," Emma protested. "You're _killing_ me!"

Regina hummed a bit again to acknowledge _that_ , and then Emma gasped when the brunette rather unabashedly wiggled a hand into her panties and cupped her.

 _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!_

"Yes, it would appear that I am," Regina nodded. "I should probably make amends, shouldn't I?"

Emma nodded frantically. Her voice wasn't working right now.

"Lucky for you, making amends is one of the things I'm good at," Regina murmured, and Emma lifted her hips as the brunette removed her panties and tossed them on the floor.

"And what else are you good at?" Emma asked boldly. She had suddenly found her voice again.

Regina flashed her a rather devilishly smile and guided Emma's legs apart.

Emma gripped the sheets in advance. She knew from experience that she would need something to hold on to in a second. Regina shifted a bit, teased her breasts once last time, then she slowly kissed her way down over Emma's abdomen.

Emma swallowed thickly. _Good god, this is torture, please get on with it, please get on it, please get on with it, plea…_

"Ahh!" her inner monologue was interrupted rather suddenly when she felt Regina's fingers brush through her wetness.

"You were babbling, sweetheart."

Ah. So her monologue hadn't been completely silent after all. Huh. Emma hadn't even noticed that she had started babbling.

She wasn't in a position to rebut either. Regina's head disappeared between her legs, and Emma cried out and arched her back. God, Regina was _amazing_ at this, and between moans, Emma deeply regretted that they had spent so much time on terrorizing each other when they could have done, well, _this_ instead.

Regina's tongue moved swiftly inside her, and Emma could feel how she was pushed closer and closer to that edge. She wanted to hold back just a little bit longer, but she knew she couldn't. She never could, no matter how hard she tried.

"C-close," she warned, a bit foolishly when Regina couldn't exactly answer.

Or could she? Regina "answered" by speeding up her movements, thrusting harder and faster, and Emma, who had absolutely no control over her actions anymore, buried her fingers in Regina's hair, bent her legs over the brunette's shoulders and garbled out a string of nothings.

And suddenly she was pushed out over the edge. She wasn't tumbling, she was _flying_ , and she screamed her pleasure out into the roof. Only the crashing sound of the waves answered her, and for that Emma felt grateful.

Regina slowed her movements down and then withdrew her tongue completely. She gently freed herself from Emma's legs and smirked as her tongue darted out and licked her lips.

Emma's legs fell limply to either side and she ended up completely sprawled out on the bed. But she didn't care one bit about it. She flashed Regina a wobbly smile.

"Have I ever mentioned how fucking amazing you are?"

"Not lately," Regina quipped.

" _That_ was fucking amazing," Emma said sincerely.

"Yes, I'm surprised you are capable of talking to me," Regina said smoothly, and Emma giggled. To hell with modesty, Regina knew what she was good at. So _damn_ good at.

"This is gonna be one hell of a honeymoon," Emma said plainly.

Regina grinned.

Emma closed her eyes for a moment. She wasn't sleepy, or particular exhausted, she just needed a moment to, well, remember basic stuff. Like moving. Or saying things that weren't actually rubbish.

"Are you going back to sleep?" Regina asked, and her voice was coated with disappointment. "Please don't. Don't force me to take matters into my own hand."

Emma's eyes instantly snapped open. "I'm awake," she assured. "No need to go to extremes."

"Thank god."

"Desperate?" Emma asked plainly.

" _Yes_."

Emma grinned like the Cheshire cat as she guided Regina on to her back and positioned herself on top of her. Her mouth instantly went to work and started paying attention to Regina's completely hardened nipples.

Emma couldn't help but grin softly into Regina's skin as she felt the brunette's nails dig into her naked back. _Yep, one hell of a honeymoon._

 _ **To Be Continued?**_


	27. Chapter 27

_((Sex scene coming up in the end of this chapter. So there's that.))_

 **Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 27**

Emma was the first one to wake the following… morning? No, it was a bit dark. It was probably evening. They would have to work on shifting their hours, otherwise they would sleep the days away and be awake at night, like a pair of vampires.

The blonde rolled on to her side and looked at the "bundle" next to her. The bundle happened to be Regina, completely entangled in the thin blankets. The only thing Emma could see, was tousled, dark, curly hair and one naked leg sticking out. She was still fast asleep, and Emma chuckled softly at the sight.

The blonde decided that she had enough sleep already, and she crawled out of bed. She pulled the thin tanktop over her head and walked over to the French doors. She pushed the door open and peeked outside. She was immediately greeted by the smell of salt and water the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

 _This is definitely paradise_.

A movement behind her caught her attention, and Emma quickly turned around to see Regina stretching her arms and legs. Emma smirked. It was possible that her wife still was feeling a little boneless from their previous activities.

"Everything working?" Emma teased as Regina pulled her knees up to her chest and looked at her hands like she had never seen them before.

"Ha, ha," Regina said sarcastically. "What time is it?"

"I haven't got the faintest," Emma shrugged and turned around again to look out at their amazing view.

She heard Regina gasp, and when she turned around to see what _that_ was about, Regina was sitting up with a hand clapped over her mouth.

"What?" Emma said and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh god..." Regina said and sounded utterly horrified.

"What? _What_?" Emma said. "What's wrong? Are you hurt in some sort of way?"

"Not me," Regina said strained. "But you might wanna take a look in the mirror."

Deeply mystified, Emma trotted into the bathroom took a look in the mirror. She couldn't see anything, so she turned around and twisted her neck to look at herself.

Oh. _Oh. Holy shit_.

 _Now_ she could see what Regina was on about. Her back was covered in what about to be scratch marks. Emma quickly pulled the tanktop over her head. Yep. Her entire back, from the nape of her neck to her lower back was covered in scratch marks.

 _Wow._ Regina's nails weren't very long, and none of the scratch marks were bleeding, but still, this was damn impressive.

Emma tugged her shirt back on and went back inside the bedroom.

"I'm so sorry, Emma," Regina said sheepishly and clearly genuinely embarrassed and sorry about this.

"For what, this?" Emma said and shrugged. "It's no big deal."

But Regina shook her head and dropped her face into her hands again. "This is in no way okay, Emma. I _hurt_ you."

"Not to _my_ knowledge," Emma said and sat down on the edge bed. She gently pried Regina's hands away from her face. "It's fine, Regina."

"No, it _isn't_ ," Regina insisted. "And it won't happen again. I promise you."

"Why not?" Emma asked and put a finger under Regina's chin to tilt her head up. "Hey. It's _okay_."

Regina just shook her head in protest.

Emma sighed. "So you got a little rough with me. And so what? I _liked_ it."

"You're only saying that to make me feel better," Regina said bitterly. "Why the hell didn't you say something last night?!"

"Because I didn't notice," Emma scoffed.

"You didn't notice me puncturing your skin?!"

"No," Emma said, and now she was smirking slightly. "I was a little too busy pleasuring you."

Regina buried her hands in her dark curls and tugged her head towards her knees. "I am so embarrassed."

Emma laughed and reached out to give Regina's shoulder a soft squeeze. "Seriously, I'm _fine_ , Regina. and I don't mind you being a little rough with me from time to time."

Regina muttered something that sounded like "you're terrible".

But Emma's curiosity was aroused, and she didn't even bat an eye when she asked: "How rough _can_ you be?"

" _Emma_!" Regina protested, and now she looked positively scandalized.

"What?" Emma laughed innocently. "I'm your wife. I'm allowed to ask these kinds of things."

"That may be," Regina said dryly. "But I'm definitely not entitled to revealing anything."

"Of course not," Emma agreed. "But you have nothing to be embarrassed about, you know."

Regina scoffed in a disagreeing matter.

"And you _definitely_ don't have to hold back either," Emma said firmly.

Regina scoffed again.

"I mean it," Emma continued. "If I find out you're holding back, _I_ might have to be a little rough with _you_."

Regina's eyebrow quirked up. "Really?"

Emma's jaw hung slightly. "Would you like that?"

"Possibly," Regina said a bit sheepishly.

Emma had very much to say about _that_ , but Regina interrupted her by saying that she would take a shower.

"How about a swim in the ocean instead?" Emma suggested.

Regina pursed her lips. "I don't think I look very appropriate right now."

"There's no one on the beach right now," Emma argued. "It's still dark."

"I suppose you're right about that. A swim in the ocean it is, then," Regina said and got out of bed. Emma almost felt a bit sad when the brunette changed into her bathing suit. No doubt she looked fantastic in it, but she looked far better wearing nothing at all.

"Wait a second," Regina said as Emma was about to change into her own bathing suit.

"What?" Emma said.

"I don't think you should swim right now. Those cuts will hurt in salt water," Regina said and winced and looked terribly embarrassed again.

"Oh," Emma half-chuckled. "That's fine. I'll just watch _you_ instead."

"I feel like an absolute monster," Regina said and shook her head.

Emma crossed the bedroom in two steps and gave Regina a lick peck on the lips. "Don't. Last night was fucking _fantastic_ , you hear me? I don't mind these scratches one bit."

Regina still didn't look too convinced but didn't have anything further to say about the matter.

Scratches or not, Emma changed into her bathing suit and a light shirt. Then she followed Regina out on the beach. Apart from the waves breaking against the shore and the light breeze in the palm trees, everything was quiet. The beach appeared to be quite deserted.

Emma followed Regina and dipped one toe into the water. It wasn't one bit cold. It was like stepping into a hot bath.

"I can wait until your back is healed and then we can do it together," Regina offered.

"Get in the water, Regina," Emma dismissed. "You're ruining my perverted plan about watching you."

Regina rolled her eyes and pecked Emma's lips once. Then she stepped into the water.

Emma sat down on the towel in the sand and watched as Regina disappeared in the water. Admittedly, she became a little concerned when Regina stayed under water longer than advisable, but two seconds later, Regina's head appeared again, and Emma's heart instantly found its normal pace.

This was literally paradise on earth. Regina appeared to have a mighty good time out there in the water, and Emma was positive that not even Ariel was a better swimmer. In fact, she didn't even _know_ Regina was such a fine swimmer, and she wondered when and where Regina had learned that.

After a while, Regina appeared on the beach again, delightfully wet and with hair clinging to her face.

"That was fun," the brunette said slightly breathless when she joined Emma on the towel.

"It looked fun."

Regina pursed her lips again. "We'll have to buy some cream for your back when the stores open."

"And you'll what, rub it on my back while bashing yourself in the head over "hurting" me?"

"Yes, something like that," Regina shrugged.

"No," Emma said firmly, and then grinned. "I mean, you can rub my back anytime you want, but I don't want you to keep feeling guilty over this. I'm _fine_. I can't even _feel_ those scratch marks. And I certainly couldn't feel you _making_ them either."

Regina raised an eyebrow.

"I actually kind of like them," Emma confessed nonchalantly.

"You do?" Regina asked skeptically and wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, I mean, a visible symbol on how _good_ I made you feel last night? Of _course_ I like them."

"You're crazy," Regina said completely flatly.

"Mhmm," Emma said plainly and leaned in to steal another kiss from Regina.

Regina's answer came immediately, and Emma could feel how her fingers tangled into her golden hair.

 _Let's see how far I can take this_. Emma started conducting her little "test". She was awfully curios to see how far she could take this before Regina would "miss Swan" her and remind her that this was a public place.

Emma deepened the kiss, buried her fingers in Regina's wet hair. She smelled of salt and ocean mixed with that heavily cocktail that was _Regina_. She shifted slightly until she was straddling Regina's lap in the most delightful way. Regina didn't break the kiss. In fact, she didn't even raise an eyebrow, so Emma gave her a tiny little nudge. Then one more. Regina leaned back until she was lying flatly on the towel.

 _Oh goodie._ Emma had expected at least a frown from Regina by now, and her lack of protest delighted the blonde and made her even bolder. She re-positioned herself slightly on top of Regina and dipped down to kiss her neck. She scraped her teeth over the soft flesh, and Regina whined. But she still didn't protest at the "location" Emma had chosen to do this.

 _So far, so good_. Emma easily found Regina's pulse point and began sucking lightly.

" _Emma_ …" Regina rasped, but Emma still didn't hear a "no", so she didn't stop what she was doing, and Regina appeared to enjoy herself so very much. She moaned in the most delightful of ways and she clutched at Emma's back. But as opposed to last night, she didn't scratch, so regardless of how much she appreciated this, she was still focused on not adding a new series of scratch marks to Emma's "collection".

" _Emma_ …" Regina moaned again, and Emma nipped at her pulse point again.

Regina swallowed thickly and rolled her hips slightly.

 _Oh. And here I was, assuming that she would mind doing this out in the open._

Emma felt somewhat like a devil when she very slowly lowered her hand and gave Regina's thigh a light pet. Regina's hips jerked again, and Emma pressed her lips against hers and swallowed the moan that was undoubtedly coming.

She gave Regina's inner thigh another feather light pet, and now Regina was chanting "oh god, oh god, oh god", a rather telltale sign of what was happening.

Emma knew exactly what she needed, and she had no intention of making Regina beg for it. At least not right now. There was a time and a place for that. She slowly pushed Regina's bikini bottoms to the side and was delighted at what she found. Regina was wet. It seemed almost impossible after last night, but she was, and Emma was more than willing to "assist" her.

Emma gave Regina's thigh a light tap with her fingertips, and Regina immediately spread her legs apart. Emma smirked. So willing. So very, very ready. _This isn't the time for teasing_ , she sternly reminded herself. She angled her finger and slid it inside Regina. With absolutely no resistance.

Regina's jaw fell open, and Emma relished in the expression on her face. She looked absolutely _delicious_ like this. And Emma was the reason for it.

"Oh _god_ ," Regina hissed quietly, and Emma wasted no time in sliding a second finger inside her.

The "reward" she got was priceless. Regina's hands turned into claws momentarily but then she remembered that she couldn't do that, and Emma watched in awe as the brunette raised her arms above her head. For some inexplicable reason she was capable of keeping them pinned there.

 _Okay, this is… Probably a lot hotter than she intended, but I'm definitely not complaining._

Emma slowly started moving her fingers within Regina, and how the brunette managed to keep her hands in place above her head was an absolute mystery to the Savior. _Talk about self-control_. _Would it be totally out of line to ask her to keep doing this when my back is healed_?

Emma noticed that her fingers twists and movements had made Regina mutter under her breath, and she smirked as she quickened her pace. Regina's hips moved swiftly in tandem with her motions, and her back arched. But her hands never faltered. They stayed exactly where they were. Pinned above Regina's head.

 _Jesus Christ_ … That sight alone was enough to make Emma crave Regina again.

Regina's hips suddenly stilled momentarily, and Emma quickened her pace again until she was thumping relentlessly against _that particular spot_ within Regina.

" _Emma_!"

 _And there it is…_

Regina froze. Every muscle in her body seemed to be straining. Her lips fell open again and her back arched. Her thighs trembled, and then Emma felt her fingers getting sticky.

Emma felt awfully tempted to initiate "round two" right then and there, but the sun was creeping up over the water, and it was only a matter of time before their little spot would be overrun by people. She reluctantly withdrew her fingers and adjusted Regina's bikini bottoms again.

Regina's only response to that was to finally let her arms fall down on either side of her, and to let her legs relax again.

Emma sniggered rather self-satisfied. Regina looked worn out. Her breathing was still ragged. No doubt she was still recovering.

Emma lied down and nuzzled into Regina's side. She was still a bit damp, but Emma couldn't figure out whether it was from her swim or the previous pleasure.

"Well, this was not what I had expected from a swim," Regina said, and she sounded completely winded.

"Me neither," Emma grinned. "I just couldn't help myself."

"You never can…" Regina answered, but she didn't sound one bit annoyed. In fact, she sounded a bit… _giddy_.

"It's my simple duty to make the most of our honeymoon."

"And it's _my_ simple duty to inform you that I love you."

 _ **To Be Continued…..**_


	28. Chapter 28

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 28**

On the fourth day they're gradually getting used to the time difference. Meaning that they're actually waking up when they're supposed to and not in the middle of the night.

The fourth day was also the first day they heard from Storybrooke.

David and Mary Margaret video called Emma one afternoon when Regina was in the shower, claiming that she needed to "wash the ocean off her".

Emma smiled as she took the call and a moment later her parents appeared on the screen. The connection was surprisingly clear and not grainy at all. She had no problems with seeing her parents on the screen.

"Hi guys," she said briskly and gave her parents her a slight wave.

"Hi honey," David smiled while Mary Margaret immediately asked:

"Where's Regina?"

"Hey, I thought it was _me_ you guys called," Emma mock scowled.

"It was. And right now, I'm asking _you_ what happened to my daughter-in-law," Snow said with a completely straight face.

"Will you _please_ stop calling me that?!" Regina called from the bathroom. "It makes my skin crawl."

Emma sniggered. "As you can hear, she's alive and well. And in the shower."

"I'm not in the shower," Regina denied as she re-appeared from the bathroom, dressed in a light, blue dress and rubbing a towel over her hair. "At least not anymore."

"My mistake. Regina's _not_ in the shower anymore," Emma teased.

Regina scowled. "Don't make me hurt you in front of your parents, dear."

"Hey, be nice to my daughter!" David admonished.

"Are you being nice to _mine_?" Regina asked and removed the towel from her hair.

"Yeah, where _is_ Veronica?" Emma chirped in. She couldn't see the baby anywhere.

"Henry came by and offered to take her for a walk," Snow said and smiled. "But I think he was just looking for an excuse to steal her."

Emma smiled at that. She knew how much Henry adored his baby sister.

"And how are you two doing?" David asked.

"We're fine, dad. Just fine."

"Someone is getting tanned," Snow smiled brightly at Regina, and Emma stole a glance or two at her wife. Snow was right. Regina's olive skin was positively _glowing_ , and her cheeks had that healthy, sun kissed look going on.

"We're yet to experience a rainy day," Regina said and gave Emma's shoulder a light squeeze as she walked past her, most likely searching for her shoes.

"How is Veronica doing?" Emma asked. "Is she behaving? Is she missing us?"

"Don't say that," Regina interjected sternly.

"Well, overprotective mommies, the youngest princess is as contend as could be," David chuckled. "Well fed, well dressed and sleeping like a champion."

"Good." Regina said. "I miss her."

Emma nodded, but the truth was that she hadn't been thinking a lot about Veronica for the past couple of days. Not that she didn't miss her, of course she did, but she also knew that the baby was quite safe with her parents.

And frankly, she had been a bit _pre-occupied_ with thinking about other things. Like her _very_ hot wife.

"Please tell we didn't miss her first word?" Regina asked and looked rather despondently as she glanced around in their living room.

"No. Lots of "guuh" and "daa", but no actual words yet," Snow reassured.

"Good. That's good," Emma said and quickly turned to Regina. "What's with the frowny face? Home sick?"

"No," Regina said, looking ever so dissatisfied. "But I can't find my shoe."

"Oh," Emma half-chuckled at the rather "human" problem Regina had. "Maybe you left it in the bedroom?"

"Are you suggesting that I took off one shoe here and one in the bedroom?" Regina asked skeptically and waved her one shoe in Emma's face. "I wasn't drunk last night, Emma."

"Hmm. I'm sure we'll find it later," Emma shrugged.

"I certainly hope so. Those were very expensive shoes."

"Aren't all your shoes expensive?" Emma pointed out and raised an eyebrow while Snow and David chuckled on the screen behind them.

"That is beside the point," Regina said silkily and disappeared up the stairs. Most likely to search for her missing shoe.

"Does that mean Regina is Cinderella now?" David asked and lifted an eyebrow.

"Don't tell _her_ that," Emma grinned. "I don't think she would appreciate the uh… comparison."

"Probably not," Snow chuckled.

"Do you guys think Roni- _Veronica_ could be there the next time you call?" Emma asked, suddenly overwhelmed by how much she really missed her daughter.

"Of course," Mary Margaret said softly as David fiddled with something off screen and then lifted Lady into view.

Emma chuckled. "Oh, look at that! Hi Ladybug!"

The cocker spaniel lifted her ears at the sound of Emma's voice. She probably didn't have a clue where her owners voice came from, but it was nice to see her react.

"Regina, come and say hi to Lady," Emma called over her shoulder, and a few seconds later Regina emerged from upstairs and smiled at the sight of Lady.

"Did you find your shoe?" Emma asked.

"No, I did _not_ ," Regina scowled. "And I'm honestly starting to wonder what happened to it."

"Magic?" David suggested innocently.

"Or a burglar?" Mary Margaret suggested even more innocently.

"There's no magic on this island, and I doubt a burglar would run off with just one shoe. They would go after the most valuable thing in this house. Like… your daughter." Regina said completely seriously.

Emma felt herself blushing ridiculously at that and hoped that her parents didn't notice.

"But you have nothing to worry about, sweetheart," Regina continued, and now she was obviously messing with Emma. " _I'll_ protect you from potential intruders."

"Ha, ha, ha." Emma said flatly. "You're not the only one who took self-defense classes, okay?"

"When did you do _that_?" Snow piped up and looked at Regina.

"Seattle." Regina shrugged.

"Anyway," Emma said. "We should probably go and get some dinner. Give Veronica a kiss from us."

"And give our love to Henry," Regina interjected. "And don't overfeed Lady. She's getting chubby. Are you feeding her at the table?"

"Bye, Regina, bye, Emma," Snow said hastily and ended the video call.

"They are _definitely_ feeding her at the table," Regina said grimly. "There's a "fun" habit to break when we get back. I hope they're not teaching Veronica anything bad."

"Let's go and get something to eat," Emma said and rose from her chair. She gave Regina's cheek a light pet and adjusted the strap on Regina's dress that kept sliding down her shoulder. But she couldn't resist to give Regina's shoulder a light kiss first.

"Dinner," Regina reminded her and laughed as she pushed Emma away.

" _Or_ we could stay here and eat later?" Emma suggested and toyed with the straps on Regina's dress.

" _Dinner_ ," Regina repeated and this time a bit more sternly. "None of _that_ right now."

"But later." Emma said, and it wasn't really a question.

"I married a sex addict." Regina deadpanned.

"I wasn't a sex addict until I met you."

"Oh, so it's _my_ fault?"

"Later?"

"Yes. Later. Now come on. I'm starving."

Emma grinned triumphantly as she followed Regina out of the beach house.

They walked outside in the sunshine and Emma had just sat foot in the soft sand when she spotted something familiar lying a couple of feet away from their beach house.

"Hey, Regina, isn't that your shoe?"

"What? Where?" Regina asked and put on her sunglasses.

"There." Emma said and motioned to the spot in the sand where Regina's shoe was lying abandoned.

Regina quickly went over and picked the shoe up. It looked completely unharmed, well, apart from having lied outside all night.

"How the hell did it end up out here?" Regina muttered and weighed the shoe in her hand.

"Good question. Maybe you dropped it on the way back from the beach last night?" Emma suggested.

"I suppose that's possible." Regina said. But she didn't really look convinced.

The couple went out to have dinner at a nearby restaurant, and it turned into a quite eventful evening that included a waiter coming on to Emma until Regina with ice-cold politeness informed him that "the young lady is married. To _me_ "

Emma was positive she would never forget the startled look on the waiter's face, and every nerve in her body cheered when Regina turned possessive for a second and told the waiter that Emma was "taken".

By the time they got back to the beach house, Emma had forgotten all about the mystery about Regina's shoe. In fact, she had forgotten her own name when Regina demonstrated just how _taken_ she was.

It was the dead of night and Emma was fast asleep, completely entangled in the bed sheets when something woke her up. A slight stirring.

The blonde slowly opened one eye. Then the other. Regina was sitting at the edge on the bed, in the middle of shrugging a long t-shirt over her head.

"Mmm, what are you doing?" Emma rasped and reached for Regina's wrist. "Come back to bed."

"There's someone outside," Regina whispered and Emma instantly stiffened.

"You're messing with me."

"Do you honestly think I would mess around with something like that?" Regina huffed and slipped a pair of silk shorts on. Then the bed creaked slightly when she stood up.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked and lowered her voice automatically.

"To see who's outside, obviously," Regina said plainly.

"Uh…" the bed creaked again when Emma untangled herself from the bed sheets and pulled her tanktop over her head. "Not by yourself you're not."

Regina rolled her eyes, but Emma simply ignored it and hopped out of bed. She wasn't taking any chances, and she was _certainly_ not gonna let Regina go out and investigate on her own.

"I'm sure you're overreacting," Regina muttered.

"Don't care. You don't know who could be out there."

"Not someone I've already met," Regina quipped and cracked the bedroom door open.

Emma followed her like a shadow. In reality she wanted to push Regina out of the way and go outside to check first, but Regina was walking much too fast for that to happen.

"Can't you let me go first," Emma hissed. If there really _was_ some nasty creep outside, Regina wasn't the first thing he needed to see.

"Be _quiet_ ," Regina hissed back as they crept down the stairs.

"Well excuse me for wanting to keep you _safe_ ," Emma sneered quietly.

They "braved" the stairs and Emma followed Regina into the kitchen. There was no one there. The living room was also quite empty, but Emma could hear that noise coming from outside again, and she was sure Regina could hear it as well. It was a rather characteristic sound. Something was sniffing, scraping and even whining a bit.

"Does that sound human to you?" Regina half-whispered.

Emma shook her head. No, that didn't sound human at all. "Maybe it's a werewolf?" she suggested half-heartedly. Now that the imminent danger appeared to be over, she was feeling rather sleepy again.

"A _werewolf_?" Regina echoed and chuckled. "Give me a break."

Whatever animal was outside whined again, and the sound was so utterly pathetic.

"Okay, lets get to the bottom of this, shall we?" Regina said and without much further ado, she opened the door.

Emma looked over her shoulder and gaped a little at what was sitting on their porch.

It was a _dog_. A rather scruffy, dirty looking one, but nevertheless a dog, and the poor animal wagged its tail slightly when it spotted Regina in the door opening. So, a friendly dog then.

"Oh my word," Regina said and crouched down. "You poor thing. Are you all alone?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Emma's lips. _If only people could see the tough "Madam Mayor" right now_. Regina was practically _fawning_ over the dog. In fact, she was opening the door and letting it into the beach house.

"Uh, Regina… What are you doing?" Emma asked and suffocated a yawn.

"He's cold, he's hungry and he's all alone," Regina said. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"From where I'm standing, it looks like you're letting a stray, flea infected dog into our _rented_ house," Emma said flatly.

"He's hungry," Regina repeated. "And you can't possibly want him to sleep on the porch all night, can you? I mean, if you want to listen to him crying then be my gue…"

"Of course not," Emma interrupted. "But…"

"It's just for tonight," Regina said and gave Emma's lips a light peck.

"Yeah, oka…Wait, what do you mean "just for tonight"? are you gonna let him _sleep_ here?!"

"Just for tonight," Regina echoed. "Tomorrow we'll have to try and find his owner."

Emma took another look at the dog. "I don't think he's got an owner, Regina, I mean look at him…"

"He's a little scruffy," Regina agreed and bent down to scratch the dog.

"A _little_ scruffy?" Emma scoffed. "I think that's an understatement, he looks like an absolute tra…"

She cut herself off midsentence and stared at the strange dog in their living room again. A scruffy, slightly curly haired dog of indeterminable breed, but with two, sparkling black eyes barely visible behind all the fur.

"No _way_ ," the blonde said and clapped a hand over her mouth to hide her amusement.

"Don't say it," Regina warned, but a smile tugged at her lips.

"You just found Lady's other half," Emma laughed and nudged her wife.

"Don't," Regina warned again.

"I mean, how could he possibly be anyone else?" Emma continued, ignoring Regina's protest. "You've totally just found the Tramp!"

"Technically, he found us." Regina said dryly and felt the dog's neck in search for a collar.

"Ha!" Emma said. "Oh, I can't wait to tell Henry about this! Who knew there was magic in Hawaii?"

"Don't be silly. It's just a coincidence." Regina said and frowned. "Hmm, he's not wearing any collar. This could be tricky."

"A coincidence? Bullshit." Emma huffed.

The dog yapped and trotted over to the "welcome" mat where he immediately began sniffing at Regina's shoes.

Emma and Regina shared a look. Emma had no idea how and when, but somehow this dog- the _Tramp_ had snuck into the beach house and nicked one of Regina's shoes….

 _ **To Be Continued…**_


	29. Chapter 29

(( **Beware of the sex scene at the end of this chapter…))**

 **Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 29**

Emma slept a bit longer the next day, and when she finally emerged from the bedroom, she found Regina standing frowning in the living room.

Apparently, "the Tramp" had disappeared sometime during the night, and Regina looked genuinely sad about it.

"I'm sorry about that," Emma said and wrapped an arm around Regina's waist.

"I suppose it's for the best," Regina answered and sounded like she was trying to reason with herself. "I mean, it's not like we could have taken him with us…"

"Then why do I suspect that's _exactly_ what you had intended to do?" Emma murmured softly and skated her fingers over Regina's hips.

Regina shrugged. "He looked like he could have used a second chance in life. I can relate to that."

That immediately silenced Emma, and she gave Regina a soft kiss on the side of her neck.

She could feel Regina shrug again and then the brunette wiggled out of Emma's not very tight grip.

"I'm sorry about the dog," Emma said again.

"It's fine," Regina dismissed. "We already have enough on our hands with Veronica and Lady."

Emma nodded, but suspected that Regina was trying to reason with herself again.

"The Tramp" wasn't mentioned again while they got dressed (well, _dressed_ , the weather was too warm for anything else than bathing suits) and Regina appeared to be fine as they finished their light breakfast, and Emma suggested that they headed out to the beach.

Once outside, Emma immediately looked around in search for the shaggy, but seemingly friendly dog.

But their furry friend was nowhere to be seen. The beach was full of people with dogs on leashes, but no sight of a stray one roaming around on the beach.

They settled down on their towels and Regina exhaled softly as she looked at the blue, blue water.

"Are you going for a swim?" Emma inquired.

"No. Not right now. I'm still a bit… _tired_ ," Regina said and lowered her voice conspiratorially.

"Shh!" Emma said but she chuckled as she mock-whapped Regina's arm. "People might hear you."

"No one is paying attention to us, dear," Regina drawled.

But that wasn't entirely true. There were several people looking at Regina. One of the men kept gawking even _after_ Emma had made eye contact with him.

Regina seemed blissfully oblivious however and ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it backwards, away from her eyes.

That didn't exactly help the matter. Emma wouldn't be the least surprised if the guy started _drooling_.

 _Wonderful_. _Hasn't anyone taught him that it's rude to stare_?

"Are you thirsty?" Regina asked, and Emma quickly snapped out of it.

"Uh... A little, I guess."

"I'll find us something," Regina said briskly and rose from their spot.

Emma watched her walk away, a habit she had been developing since Seattle.

So did the guy.

 _Seriously? Back off, dude_!

Emma groaned quietly. Now she knew exactly how Regina was feeling the other day, when that waiter had come on to Emma.

A moment later, Regina returned with two glasses, and the dismay must have been obvious on Emma's face, for the brunette asked: "What's the matter?"

"The entire beach is hitting on you," Emma said plainly.

Regina's perfect eyebrows raised. "I seriously doubt that, dear."

"Well, _that_ guy is," Emma hissed through gritted teeth and gestured discreetly to the man sitting a few feet away from them.

Regina nonchalantly turned her head, and Emma was grateful she actually caught the guy staring at her. Otherwise she might have told Emma to "stop being silly".

"Ah." Regina said and nodded a little.

"Yeah." Emma said plainly.

A rather devilish smirk suddenly appeared on Regina's lips and Emma didn't get the chance to ask what was on her mind, before the brunette leaned forward and kissed her.

For a moment, Emma was caught off guard by the element of surprise, but then she relaxed and returned the kiss with all her being.

Regina chuckled into the kiss, pecked Emma's lips one last time and then pulled back, looking rather satisfied with herself.

"And what the hell was _that_?" Emma inquired jokingly. She didn't mind that kiss one bit.

Regina shrugged. "A subtle way to tell the guy to stop staring?"

Emma glanced around again. The "staring" fella was now whispering something to his buddy, and then they both gawked at Regina again.

"Actually, I think you just became a hell of a lot more interesting to them," Emma scowled.

Regina shrugged in a "not my problem"-manner and took a sip of whatever was in the glass.

Emma took a swig too, and was immediately surprised at the taste prickling on her tongue. "Is this alcohol?"

Regina shrugged again. "Yes?"

"It's eleven in the morning," Emma said and raised an eyebrow.

"And so?"

Emma squinted slightly, tilted her head and then chuckled: "Roni, is that you?"

"Ah. Busted." Regina half-laughed and took another sip of the drink.

"Well, I certainly don't mind her company," Emma laughed.

Regina flashed her another smile, and the minute Emma finished her drink, the brunette said: "Join me in the water?"

"Do you think my back can take that?" Emma answered innocently.

Regina's brow furrowed. "We agreed to never talk about that, remember?"

Emma laughed as she rose from the towel. "You can't possibly still be embarrassed about it."

"But I am," Regina said, and Emma saw how her sun kissed cheeks blushed slightly. "And it won't happen again."

"Bummer." Emma said nonchalantly.

"Get in the water, miss Swan," Regina half-barked and rolled her eyes at Emma's words.

Emma sniggered as she followed Regina into the water. With the scratches on her back as good as healed, Emma was now fully able to enjoy the water. And she did. And she also enjoyed the "view" quite a bit. Regina looked very much at home in the water, and she also looked absolutely _delightful_ with wet hair.

Emma caught Regina's wrist and pulled her closer. Regina raised an eyebrow again. "What's on your mind, miss Swan?"

"You." Emma said plainly and rested one hand on Regina's hip. Her other hand went on a little "journey" and travelled lower until she was "groping" Regina's rear rather unabashedly.

"Do you want us banished from the beach for lewd b-behavior?" Regina asked, and tried to sound stern, but Emma _had_ heard how her voice broke slightly.

"No one is paying attention to us," Emma said, and this time, she was right. No one, not even "staring fella" was looking at them.

"I don't think it's a good idea to feel me up in a public beach," Regina said.

"No?" Emma said innocently and gave Regina's arse a squeeze. "What a _shame_."

" _Emma_!" Regina squeaked, but Emma wasn't sure whether the brunette was protesting or applauding what she did.

Emma gave her another little teasing squeeze.

"Bad idea," Regina warned.

"Tell me to stop."

"Are you interested in having me ripping off that little bathing suit and taking you right now?" Regina asked silkily, and Emma actually gulped.

"Uh… Yes? But that would probably be a bad idea."

"Then _stop groping me_."

Emma reluctantly moved her hands away from Regina's ass. "You wouldn't actually do that," she said, but she wasn't as sure anymore.

"Wouldn't I?" Regina teased. "I seem to recall that _you_ did something similar to me the other day."

"That was different," Emma protested. "It was _dark_. And there was no one around."

"I swear to god, if I had my magic here, I would use a cloaking spell on us right now."

Emma blinked. "You can actually _do_ that? Use magic to, uh..."

"Yes, indeed." Regina laughed.

"You'll have to show me that when we get back," Emma said firmly.

Regina laughed again.

Eventually, they left the water, and they only just managed to sit down on their towels before Regina's phone ringed.

Emma watched as Regina found her phone and said: "Hello, Zelena, nice to hear from you. How are you doing? How is Robyn?"

Emma stretched out on the towel, closing her eyes and listening lazily as Regina said: "Okay… I really… didn't need to know that."

Emma lifted her head from the towel and looked at Regina, who was now wrinkling her nose in disgust.

She must have dozed off in the sun, because when she opened her eyes again, Regina was long done talking to Zelena and was lying next to Emma, soaking up the sun.

"What did Zelena want?" Emma asked groggily and skimmed a finger up and down Regina's back.

"Check in, I guess," Regina shrugged. "And complain about being single. In a very crass manner I don't want to repeat."

Emma giggled.

"I mean, I know we're sisters," Regina continued and rolled her dark eyes. "But there are certain aspects of her life that I really, _really_ don't want to know about."

"Well, you told her about us. About Seattle," Emma reminded her wife.

"Not in _details_ ," Regina huffed. "And certainly not in such a filthy manner."

Emma giggled again. Zelena had really embraced Regina as her sister, and sometimes that included "oversharing" as Regina would say.

"At least she didn't ask _you_ for any "details" about the honeymoon."

"Oh, she tried," Regina said darkly. "But I closed _that_ subject fairly quickly."

Emma snorted quietly into the towel.

They didn't do much else for the rest of that day. They spent some time soaking up the sunlight, then they took a stroll on the beach, explored the island a little bit, had dinner at some fancy restaurant with a name, Emma quickly forgot, and when the sun dipped into the ocean, they ventured out again and watched a musical. Simply because they could.

But the real "highlight" of the day was when they returned to the beach house and Emma finally was able to wrap her arms around Regina.

"Any chance I can _feel you up_ now?" the blonde asked.

Regina glared mockingly at her.

"Hey, I've been good today," Emma pointed out and chuckled. "We went out and "did things", exactly like you said one should on their honeymoon, and not once did I do something lewd."

"I suppose you're right about that..." Regina mused.

Emma grinned triumphantly and positioned her hands on Regina's ass again.

"You're so goddamn awful," Regina assured as Emma gave her a half-hard squeeze.

But Regina seemed to catch on quite nicely. Emma wasn't the only one who was "goddamn awful". Regina's arms winded around Emma's neck, and _she_ was the one who walked backwards until she ended up on the couch with Emma on top of her.

 _Okay. Not complaining_. Emma wasted no time in "helping" Regina with getting out of that stupid dress, but when the brunette was stripped down to nothing but panties and bra, Emma lost patience and simply pulled the cups down, exposing Regina's breasts.

"Someone is eager," Regina commented.

"Don't pretend you actually mind."

"And who says I'm preten- _Mmm_!" Regina's head lolled back, and she didn't finish the sentence when Emma without much further ado sucked an already hardening nipple into her mouth.

 _Ha_! _I actually made her speechless. For once._ Emma sucked eagerly and ignored their cramped position on the couch. There was no way she would ask Regina to move this upstairs. Not _now_.

Emma could see how Regina's neck muscles were straining already, and the brunette grabbed Emma's hand and guided it to her other breast.

 _Oh, and_ _I'm_ _the one who's eager_?

"N-neglected," Regina hissed and immediately began kneading her other breast while her lips never their work on Regina's nipple.

Regina's neck muscles tensed again, and her legs wrapped around Emma's waist.

"You're still… dressed," Regina commented but made absolutely no attempt at undressing Emma.

 _Don't care. I can wait_. Emma switched her attention to Regina's other breast. One hand never faltering in kneading Regina's breast, but her other hand wiggled in between Regina and the couch and gave Regina's ass another squeeze.

The reaction she got was priceless. Regina threw her head back as a guttural moan escaped her.

 _God, she's perfect_.

"God, _Emma_!" Regina hissed and grabbed onto a fistful of Emma's shirt.

Emma abruptly released Regina's nipple with a soft _pop_ , and Regina shot her a look of disapproval.

"Do you think you could come from this?" Emma asked and gave Regina's nipple a light pet. "Just by this?"

"Don't you _dare_ ," Regina warned.

 _Actually… I do dare_. Emma dived down and sucked Regina's nipple into her mouth again. She swirled her tongue over the hard bud all while she kept kneading Regina's other breast.

" _Emma_ … this isn't fair!" Regina complained and wiggled her hips slightly.

 _Well, I can't always play fair, can I_? This was absolutely delightful. Regina moaned and wriggled underneath her, clutched at her back but Emma didn't cave in. She just continued to suck at Regina's nipple, pepper her chest with kisses, switch to the other breast, flatten her tongue against her other nipple, suck it into her mouth and then do it all again.

Regina was almost sobbing. Muttering half sentences and straining against Emma in entirely new ways.

Emma was actually surprised that Regina hadn't used her own hand to "take care of things". Maybe the brunette was giving herself a little challenge. Or perhaps she was curious to see whether Emma actually _could_ make her come like this.

 _Challenge accepted_. Emma gave Regina's nipple a pinch, and Regina underneath her, and Emma could feel her nails against her back through her tanktop for a split-second before Regina seemingly remembered that she couldn't do that.

"Emma, I'm gonna need more than this, I can't…" once again, Regina interrupted herself mid-sentence, and Emma could feel how her back arched, her abdomen grinding against Emma, and then Regina released a tiny, strangled moan. Her mouth fell open, her body shuddered, and her grip on Emma's shirt became even tighter.

 _No way_. _There's no way she just came in the middle of a fucking sentence_.

But that indeed seemed to be the case. Regina exhaled shakily, and Emma could feel how her body became limp underneath her.

"Oh my _god_ ," Emma grinned. She just couldn't help it. This was almost too good to be true.

Regina just muttered something incoherent in response.

"In the middle of a sentence, really?" Emma practically mewled.

Regina groaned something again.

"Well, _that_ was a new one," Emma continued. "I'm _definitely_ adding that one to our "greatest hits"-list."

"I don't think we have such a list," Regina panted.

Emma chuckled and shot Regina a fond look. She looked like an absolute mess right now, with her bra half off, her hair completely tousled and her flushed neck and cheeks.

 _I_ _did that._ _I_ _made her a mess._

"I need a cigarette," Regina rasped.

"No, you don't," Emma said and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't ever do _that_ to me again. That was fucking _torture_ , Miss Swan."

Emma grinned triumphantly. _Mission accomplished_.


	30. Chapter 30

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 30**

On their tenth day in paradise, the weather changed from sunny to rain, and their paradise turned into a windswept place where the waves roared like monsters.

To say that it _rained_ would have been a bit of an understatement, it poured. Literally. And the wind howled in the palm trees outside their windows. The waves roared, and lightening zigzagged across the sky.

The storm woke Emma, and when she fumbled to switch the light contact on, she realized that there wasn't any light.

The power was out, and Emma fumbled around in the dark. She groaned quietly as she climbed out of bed and went downstairs to investigate.

Of course, she _knew_ how to switch the power back on, she wasn't that big of a fool, but she had no idea where the fuses were in this house.

Emma went downstairs and happened upon some candles. She quickly lit a couple of them. That helped quite a bit. The beach house wasn't nearly as dark now. She also grabbed her phone, switched the flashlight on and began searching around in the house for something that just looked remotely like a fuse box.

But she didn't find anything, instead she nearly dropped her phone on the floor, when the wind caused one of the windows to fly open.

Emma quickly rushed over and closed the window with some trouble. The wind was blowing violently, causing the damn window to fight against her attempts at closing it.

"A bit of magic wouldn't have been so bad right now," Emma grumbled as she finally slammed the window shut.

Then she heard some rustling and bustling from the bedroom. The floor creaked, and then a slightly hoarse: "Emma?"

Emma smiled slightly as she answered: "In the living room." No matter what, Regina always asked for her when Emma wasn't where she was supposed to be.

She heard the stairs creak, footsteps approaching, and then Regina came trotting into the living room, wearing her knee long t-shirt. Perhaps _only_ her t-shirt.

But that wasn't what Emma was fixated on. No, it was Regina's face. The brunette looked a bit… out of it.

Emma quickly abandoned any thought of finding the fuse box and trotted over to Regina and pecked her lips lightly.

Regina responded to the kiss, but Emma could still sense that something was up.

"Hey. Are you okay?" she asked and brushed her fingertip over Regina's cheek.

"I'm fine," Regina said.

Emma rolled her eyes. She knew Regina well enough to know that this was an automatic answer. "Regina?" she tried again.

"I just had a bit of a bad dream. Nothing to worry about," Regina shrugged nonchalantly.

"Uh… I think that's for me to decide," Emma said. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Preferably not."

"Is there anything you would like me to do?" Emma asked. "Anything I can do to help?"

Regina pecked her lips again. "You _being_ here is all I need, Emma."

Emma had no problem with reading between the lines. "So your nightmare was about me."

"Yes."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Regina shrugged again. "My brain just came up with a rather unlikely scenario, so when I woke up and couldn't find you, I went into panic mode for a split second. But I'm fine now."

"What kind of unlikely scenario?" Emma pressed. Not that she wanted to force Regina to talk about it, but she nevertheless wanted to calm whatever irrational fear Regina was harboring.

"You left me," Regina said completely dully and looked somewhere above Emma's head.

"You're right," Emma said and wrapped her arms firmly around Regina's waist. "That _is_ an unlikely scenario. No, scratch that, it's _never_ gonna happen."

"I know," Regina said and ghosted her fingertip over Emma's jaw. "I'm probably just a bit overtired. Or maybe I've been lying too long in the sun."

Emma sniggered softly. "Yeah, that's probably the reason." They _had_ been spending quite some time in the sun the past ten days.

"What happened to the light?" Regina asked and frowned.

"Power outage," Emma shrugged. "I was looking for the fuse box."

"Oh. Shall I help you search, my dear?"

"No, it's fine," Emma grinned. "The power will probably come back in a little while. Aren't you going back to bed?"

"Not right now," Regina said.

Her tone was light, the shrug of her shoulders nonchalant, but Emma could still sense that whatever "unlikely scenario" that had haunted Regina's dreams, had made an impression.

"I'm not tired either," Emma said lightly. "Wanna sit here in the dark and wait for the power to come back?"

A smile tugged at Regina's lips. "That sounds nice."

And the "sit in the dark and wait for the light to come back" went fairly alright. Apart from the fact that Regina kept fiddling with her fingers in her lap. To Emma, this was a _very_ telltale sign.

" _No_ ," she said firmly and grasped Regina's hand.

"What?" Regina asked and raised an eyebrow.

"You _can't_ have a cigarette," Emma scowled.

"I don't recall asking for one."

"Maybe not directly. But your hands were definitely asking for one," Emma said and nodded towards Regina's still twitching fingers.

Now it was Regina who was scowling. "And I don't suppose it would do me any good if I told you how _much_ I'm craving one right now?"

Emma shook her head and squeezed Regina's hand. "The answer is still no. Sorry."

Regina frowned and muttered something that sounded like "and who are _you_ to decide that", and Emma couldn't help but chuckle. She had no idea a refined and posh woman could sound exactly like a child.

"Stop laughing at me," Regina warned.

"Sorry. But we'll have to work on that addiction," Emma said half-seriously.

"One cigarette wouldn't kill me, Emma."

Emma almost spluttered. "Are you seriously begging to _smoke_ , Regina?"

"You don't know what it's like to be addicted to something, Em- _ma_ ,"

"Yes, I do. The source of _my_ addiction is sitting right here," Emma said, and the moment the words left her mouth, the wheels in her head started turning. Maybe she had the perfect weapon. Maybe she could make Regina forget all about wanting a cigarette.

She leaned in and placed a light kiss on the side of Regina's neck. Regina inhaled immediately and shot Emma a sideway glance.

Emma just chuckled, and her hand slowly crawled up Regina's thigh. Her other hand ventured out too and ended up palming Regina's breast.

"Seriously?" Regina said and frowned again. "Are you using sex to distract me?"

"Is it working?"

Regina didn't answer that. She just muttered: "And I thought _I_ was the conniving one of us."

Emma grinned again and gave Regina a playful little nudge and a "lie down", but Regina shook her head. " _You_ lie down, miss Swan."

Emma had no idea what caused this sudden need for control, but she didn't mind one bit, and she smirked up at Regina as she lied down on the couch.

Regina was on top of her within a heartbeat, and she quickly wiped the smirk off Emma's face when she blew cold air on her collarbone.

 _Well, hello paradise_ … Emma was slightly amazed over how fucking _fast_ her mind went completely blank, and her muscles turned to jelly.

And Regina didn't waste any time. She kissed Emma's lips, her jaw, her neck, all the way down to her sternum, back to her collar bone and then her neck again.

Emma thoroughly enjoyed this, she really did, but at the same time, she had picked up on something. A noise. A noise that wasn't the blowing wind or the roaring waves.

"Uh… Regina?"

Regina didn't answer, she just scraped her teeth over Emma's collarbone, and Emma's concentration nearly went out of the window.

"Regina?" Emma tried again, but her voice was nothing more than a breathy whisper. Possibly because Regina was nipping lightly at her earlobe.

 _Oh, good god. Oh, shit. Fuck!_

But this was a bit important, so she tried one more time.

"Regina?"

" _What_?" Regina half-groaned. "Why the hell are you making this so difficult?"

"There's someone outside," Emma squeaked when Regina shifted to a sitting position on top of her instead.

"No," Regina said plainly and dipped down and kissed Emma's neck again.

"What do you mean " _no_ ", there _is_!" Emma insisted and cursed herself and her excellent hearing.

"You have to be fucking kidding me," Regina growled and pushed herself off of Emma.

"Can't you tell whoever it is to get lost?" Emma moaned as Regina stomped over to the door. It was the middle of the night, and they were kind of busy.

"Yeah, I don't think that's possible," Regina half laughed.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked and rose from her sprawled out position. "Who is it?"

Regina laughed again, and now Emma saw an all too familiar shaggy looking dog standing wagging its tail on the porch.

"Oh," Emma said, and now she was laughing too. "The Tramp has come back."

Regina looked more than pleased as she stepped aside, allowing the dog to come inside. She bent down and patted the dogs head, and Emma couldn't help but smile at the expression on her face. She looked so ridiculously happy over seeing the dog again.

"Don't leave in the middle of the night again," Regina admonished.

"Ruff," said the dog and licked Regina's hand.

"Think he'll stick around this time?" Emma inquired and went over to Regina and the shaggy dog. She knelt down and scratched the dogs ear.

"He better," Regina mock-threaded and patted the dog again.

Could a dog be smitten? Emma was tempted to think so. The way "the Tramp" looked at Regina and pushed his paw into her hand, was almost ridiculous. The dog looked positively _in love_. Not that Emma could blame him.

"It's nice to see you and all, but you kind of interrupted us," Emma sighed as the dog proceed to throw himself on the floor, clearly inviting Regina to scratch his belly.

Regina simply laughed and did as the dog wished.

"And is this the part where you beg me to keep the dog?" Emma joked.

"Do I have to? _Beg_ , I mean?" Regina crooned and pressed a light kiss to Emma's cheek.

"Uh… I'm not sure it will be necessary," Emma muttered halfheartedly. The _look_ Regina gave her was positively _alluring_.

Regina laughed again. "I think we just got another dog."

"Yeah, I think you're right about that."

 _ **To Be Continued…**_


	31. Chapter 31

**((** **Sex scene coming up.. Beware!))**

 **Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Part 31**

This time, "the Tramp" stayed with them.

Or, he ran out early in the morning and came back to them every night. Emma had already accepted their new, shaggy companion, and she was completely on board with bringing the dog back to Storybrooke with them.

The only disadvantage was that the dog was almost over protective of Regina. Meaning that he growled every time Emma came anywhere near the brunette.

At first, it had amused Regina, but gradually she seemed to remember that this was their honeymoon, so every so often the dog was banished from the bedroom and had to make due with the downstairs department instead.

And Regina refused to call him "the Tramp" when he accompanied them to the beach, so they had to come up with some sort of name for him, and Emma had cleverly, and _very_ originally as Regina said, come up with the name Storm.

But as much as Regina disliked that name, it stuck with him, and his ears always perked up whenever he heard his new name, so Storm it was.

The days passed by too quickly, and before Emma could say "Storybrooke", they only had two days left here in paradise.

It seemed almost impossible. That they had to go home to Storybrooke. Of course, Emma missed Veronica and Lady and her parents, but…

"Is there any chance we can say "screw it" and live here permanently?" Emma jokingly asked. It was late in the afternoon, and she and Regina were sitting on the porch with Storm, enjoying a snack and a glass of wine.

"No, I don't think that's possible, dear," Regina said and took a sip of her wine.

Emma glanced at her and smiled. Regina was once again dressed down in a grey top and a rather short skirt. Emma quickly found her phone and snapped a picture before Regina could argue. She just had to perpetuate this sight. To have a proof that Regina didn't always wear pantsuits or tight dresses.

"What on earth are you doing?" Regina frowned.

"Taking a picture?" Emma said innocently.

"Of _me_? I hope you're not gonna show that to anyone." Regina huffed and adjusted her top, covering the shimmering jewel in her navel once more.

"Surely, you're not embarrassed over _that_ , are you?" Emma teased softly and nodded towards Regina's belly button.

"No, I would just prefer if your dear mother didn't know," Regina said dryly.

Emma chuckled.

"I think you were the one who took pictures of me in Seattle," the blonde reminded her wife.

"That was different," Regina said, and Emma raised an eyebrow. Exactly _why_ was that different?

She didn't get the chance to ask Regina of that. Regina seemed to have other things on her mind that just conversation, and she nuzzled closer to Emma, leaning into her shoulder.

Oh. _Oh well_. "Can _this_ be a thing too?" Emma asked and wrapped an arm around Regina.

"What?"

"You… _cuddling_ with me."

"I'm not cuddling with you," Regina immediately denied, but the statement seemed ridiculous when she practically was nuzzling her nose into the side of Emma's neck.

"Right. Whatever you say," Emma half-laughed and took a sip of her wine. Storm suddenly rose from his nap and took off, Emma saw him run around on the beach until he rounded a corner and disappeared behind a dune. Emma chuckled. She wasn't concerned. She knew he would be back tonight.

Emma exhaled softly and tilted her face, closed her eyes as she sun warmed her face. This was nice. Better than nice. In fact, it was…

 _Woah, wait a second_. Emma had suddenly noticed that Regina's hand had moved from the top of her knee to her thigh instead.

 _Okay, what is she up to now_? Emma waited in silence, didn't even raise an eyebrow as Regina petted her outer thigh softly. Okay. This _could_ just be Regina's version of a sweet gesture. An innocent touch.

 _Okay, maybe not_ … Regina's hand moved again, to her inner thigh this time, and Emma had to swallow something. The way Regina was caressing her thigh felt absolutely fantastic, and suddenly the warmth from the sun had very little to do with the heat Emma was feeling.

 _Yeah, no, this is not innocent at all_. Emma bit her lip as Regina's hand moved up higher.

"Okay, what are you doing?" the blonde croaked.

"What does it look like I'm doing, dear?"

"Uh…" Emma tried her best to form an actual sentence, which was rather difficult considering where Regina's hand was.

"Getting me off on the porch?" Emma suggested and bit her lip again.

"Don't be vulgar, miss Swan," Regina admonished.

"Says the woman who's… _feeling me up_ … in… public..." Emma said strained and had to fight the need to rock against Regina's hand.

"You don't like it?" Regina asked completely innocently.

"You know I do, but don't you think we should… take this inside?" Emma suggested and was torn between shoving Regina's hand away or shoving it into her panties.

"I suppose we should…" Regina mused. "Not that being outside stopped _you_ on one of our first days…"

Emma huffed, and her thighs parted on their own accord. "How long are you gonna nag me with that? So, I got you off in a public beach? What's the big- _Argh_!" Regina had without any sort of warning started rubbing her instead of those teasing pets she had been demonstrating so far.

"Stop using those words," Regina admonished again and splayed her fingers wide over Emma's crotch.

 _Okay, this is getting unbearable_. Emma felt impossibly _warm_. No, screw that, she was hot and bothered and in dire need of getting out of these clothes.

" _Inside_ ," she hissed and tried to think straight, despite the tingling feeling low in her gut.

Regina laughed. "Inside the house or…" her hand crawled up and played with the zipper on Emma's skirt.

Emma almost whined at that.

"You have to be more specific, miss Swan," Regina purred in her ear and tugged once at the zipper.

The zipper never budged, but the little ministration was enough to make Emma stand up and grab Regina's hand.

"Come _on_ ," she hissed as she dragged Regina with her up the few steps to the beach house.

"Careful, dear," Regina drawled. "Don't let anyone see you drag an innocent woman up the stairs."

Emma hissed again. _Innocent, yeah right._

She practically yanked the door open and stumbled over the threshold.

Regina laughed warmly as she nonchalantly closed the door behind them. "You're _very_ sweet when you're horny, sweetheart."

" _You_ did that," Emma growled as her arms winded around Regina's neck. It seemed almost impolite to ignore that large, comfortable bed waiting for them upstairs, but Emma knew that they would never make it up there. Not this time.

They ended up stumbling into the wall. Or, _Regina_ ended up pushing Emma into the wall as they kissed each other feverishly.

Emma clasped her fingers around the back of Regina's neck. She didn't mind this position one bit. Being trapped between Regina and the wall was something that made her head spin, and it didn't help one bit when she suddenly felt Regina's knee rub against her core.

" _Fuck_ ," she breathed and had to break the kiss for a moment. If Regina continued this, she would come within seconds, that was sure.

"Loose the skirt," Regina murmured into her neck.

"S-seriously?" Emma croaked. She hadn't exactly expected to do this against a fucking wall, but what the hell.

"Yes, _seriously_ ," Regina hissed, and Emma had to press her palms flatly against the wall when she felt Regina's teeth sink into her neck.

"Now _loose the skirt_ ," Regina repeated impatiently, and Emma swallowed and licked her dry lips as she unzipped her skirt and stepped out of it.

Regina smirked at her and her eyes gleamed with mischief as she slipped one hand into Emma's already sodden panties.

Emma's back instantly arched, and her moans were swallowed by Regina, who pressed her lips against her again.

 _Oh, god, oh, god, oh, god, oh, god_. _Right here? Right now_?

Emma had to break the kiss again and bit her lip not to scream the whole beach down when Regina rather suddenly pushed two fingers inside her and started thrusting deliciously _fast_.

" _YES_!" she exclaimed and broke every goddamn rule about not screaming. How could she _not_ scream when Regina was doing _this_ to her?

Regina smirked at her and crooked her fingers slightly, and Emma was rendered speechless for a second, when Regina inserted a third finger and quickened her pace further.

 _Oh, GOD_! Emma couldn't speak. Regina had effectively robbed her of her voice, but she _could_ rock against Regina's hand and clutch at her back to maintain her standing position.

"Come for me?" Regina suggested, almost nonchalantly, and the way her fingertip found the blonde's swollen clit was Emma's undoing. She shouted her pleasure out and rocked almost violently against Regina's oh-so-talented hand.

Regina wiggled her fingers slightly and gave Emma one last, teasing thrust, making her hips buck again, before she slowly withdrew her fingers and brought them up to her lips.

 _Oh, god,_ _must_ _she do that in front of me? She's practically begging for round two_.

Without any warning, Emma's knees suddenly caved in, and she ended up sitting on her ass on the floor.

"Fucking _hell_!" she muttered and tried to comprehend the fact that Regina had just "gotten her off" against the fucking wall.

Regina chuckled, but Emma was looking for answers. She looked up at the brunette. Regina looked completely unaffected, and she was still smiling down at Emma.

"What the _hell_ was _that_?" Emma asked loudly and wiped her sweaty brow.

"Spur of the moment?" Regina shrugged. "Are you complaining?"

"Uh, no, definitely not complaining," Emma breathed. Her heart was still pounding at she was completely ragged from that magnificent orgasm Regina had just given her.

"Be thankful I wasn't on my knees," Regina said silkily. "You would have been unconscious by now."

Emma sucked in a breath. Regina on her knees right here in this hallway. Mother of god.

"Take off your shirt," Emma growled and tried to push herself up from the awkward sitting position.

"Why?" Regina challenged and look every bit amused at Emma's demand.

"Because I _want_ you." Emma hissed and finally succeed in pushing herself up to a standing position.

"You've just had me, miss Swan."

Emma huffed. She didn't have _time_ for playing this game where they twisted the words. She wobbled over to Regina, grabbed the edge of her shirt and yanked it over her head. Then she promptly unhooked Regina's bra and threw it on the floor.

" _Emma_!" Regina said and feigned being shocked.

"It's not different for you," Emma teased, "If you can have me in the hallway, I can damn well have you too."

"I'm a queen and a bit more refined," Regina half-warned and hissed when Emma teased her nipple with her thumb.

"Mm, I know," Emma purred as she guided Regina back against the wall. "That's why I'm planning to kneel for you."

Regina swallowed audible at that.

"Well, that was…" Regina said a little while later.

"Something." Emma finished the sentence and smirked. They had moved "things" from the hallway to the living room and now they were lying huddled together on the couch, naked as jaybirds and wrapped in various blankets.

"I guess Regina Mills _is_ the kind of woman who does it in the hallway, after all?" Emma sniggered, propped herself up on one elbow and pushed a dark lock of hair behind Regina's ear.

"Yes, I guess I am," Regina smirked. She sounded a bit hoarse and Emma noticed how her chest rose and fell rather quickly still.

"Tired?" Emma asked, and her hand glided teasingly down Regina's body.

"Too tired for _that_ ," Regina said and grabbed Emma's hand, brought it up to her lips and kissed each fingertip.

Emma actually shuddered at that. Apparently, her fingertips were extremely sensitive. "Mmm, we should stay here forever," she breathed and curled into Regina's side.

Regina laughed warmly and planted a light kiss in Emma's palm. "We both know we can't do that, sweetheart. Veronica, remember?"

"So we'll fly home and grab her and Lady and then come back here," Emma said muffled into Regina's naked shoulder.

"Your parents wouldn't like that," Regina said, and Emma could feel how her shoulder shook with laughter.

"Afraid of Snow White and Prince Charming, Madam Mayor?"

Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Let's not talk about your parents right now."

"You…" Emma pecked Regina's lips. "Were.." she pecked her cheek. "the one.." she nipped at her jaw. "Who…" she cupped Regina's cheek and kissed her lips again. "Brought them up."

"I was just stating the obvious," Regina laughed and pressed a soft kiss to Emma's forehead. "I don't think they would appreciate loosing not only their precious daughter, but also their granddaughter..."

"Point taken," Emma grumbled.

Regina shifted slightly, and the blanket slipped down her naked back. "But I meant what I said about considering buying this place and use it as our summer residence."

"Or maybe just weekend hideout?" Emma suggested and winked as she gave Regina's rear a hard squeeze.

"Hey!" Regina protested and batted Emma's hand away. "Don't force me to smack you, miss Swan."

"You wouldn't dare…" Emma said and winked again.

"Keep testing me and I might just do it," Regina mumbled and yawned.

Emma sniggered. Regina was _tired_. It was only early evening, and Regina was _tired_. _Time to wake her up, then_.

"You would what, _spank_ me?" Emma said completely innocently.

Her words had the wished effect. Regina's mouth fell open and her eyes threaded to pop out of her head. " _Ex_ cuse me?!"

Emma giggled breathlessly and gave Regina a little nudge.

Regina quickly recovered, though. "Well, if _that_ ' _s_ what you want," she muttered rather dryly, and now it was Emma's turn to stare with her mouth open.

"What?" the Savior croaked.

Regina shrugged. "Hadn't expected you be into that, but it wouldn't be the first time you've surprised me."

Emma blinked a little. "Are _you_?"

"Am I what?"

"Into… _that_?"

Regina smiled teasingly. " _You_ were the one who started talking about it, _Em-_ ma. I was merely humoring you."

Emma gaped at her wife.

Regina just smiled innocently and announced that she would take a shower. _Another_ shower.

 _ **To Be Continued….**_

 _ **To Be Continued..**_


	32. Chapter 32

_**Feels Like Home To Me**_

Part 32

Suddenly, it's their last day in paradise, and however reluctant they were, they had no choice but to pack their belongings and prepare to leave for the airport early the next morning.

And the packing proceeded just fine- calmly and in perfect order- and they found the time to buy a collar for Storm, their new, shaggy companion. Regina had gotten him vaccinated and made sure his paperwork was in order.

Everything was going great.

Until Emma made a blunder.

And not just a little blunder, like leaving a trail of cookie crumbs on the carpet or leaving the door open, blowing sand into the beach house.

No, a fucking gigantic "I accidentally messed up the timeline and made it, so my parents never met"- kind of blunder.

Well, she didn't get sucked into a magical hat or fell through a portal to another realm, but she _did_ push Regina down the flight of stairs.

Of course, it was an accident. Emma had zero interest in pushing Regina down any stairs, or pushing her _at all_ for that matter, but Emma had been walking down the hallway, looking down at her phone, texting her parents who were curious about when their flight would land the following day. Emma had been looking down, busy texting the reply to Mary Margaret. She hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings until it was too late. She had collided with Regina who had been slightly hunched over, trying to close their suitcase.

Their suitcase had been just fine, standing steadfast at the top of the stairs. Regina… not so much.

A split second, a moment of not paying attention. That was all it had taken. Emma had watched in horror as Regina had lost balance, tripped and then fallen down the stairs. She had ended up sprawled out on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, and Emma almost fell herself in her rush to come to Regina's aid.

Luckily, Regina hadn't hit her head, but her left ankle refused to carry her weight, so they had ended up taking a trip to the local hospital. Which had been quite the event, because Emma had to lift Regina from the floor and _carry_ her into their rented car. Something they would _never_ mention to anyone, as Regina had said through gritted teeth.

The doctor had been very kind to them, but unfortunately, they received bad news at the hospital. Regina's ankle was broken. Surgery wasn't necessary, but she would have to wear a cast for the next six weeks.

Regina had been hellbent on avoiding having to use a wheelchair, and in the end, the doctor had caved in, and provided her with a pair of crutches instead.

Emma had been one big apology, and she could feel the nurse staring at her while the doctor fetched the crutches. Thinking about it, she could understand why the nurse was eying them so suspiciously. "My wife fell down the stairs" was the number one excuse in the "bad guy book". Emma knew exactly _what_ that nurse was thinking, and it made her a little sick to her stomach.

After two hours and lots of waiting, the doctor finally gave them the all clear to leave, and Emma hung her head as she followed her limping wife out on the parking lot.

"Regina, I'm so sorry!" she said for the millionth time that day.

"Calm down, sweetheart. An accident is an accident," Regina said stoically.

"Is the pain… _very_ bad?" Emma asked and cringed as she saw Regina struggle to maneuver the crutches around.

"It's not that bad," Regina assured, but Emma was certain she was lying to make Emma feel better. A broken bone was a broken bone, and no matter how you twisted it (no pun intended) it had to hurt like a bitch.

"I feel terrible," Emma exclaimed, and immediately wanted to smack herself. What right did she have to feel terrible when _Regina_ was the one who was injured?

"Emma, listen to me. _It's okay_ ," Regina said very, very slowly. "It was just a silly accident. Nothing more."

"That nurse think I did it on purpose," Emma mumbled as she gently helped Regina into the car.

"Did what on purpose, dear?" Regina said a bit distracted as she placed the crutches on the car floor.

"P… Pushed you down the stairs," Emma said quietly and almost choked on the words.

"Well, you and I both know that's not true," Regina said firmly and grasped Emma's hand. "It was an _accident_." She repeated as she kissed each of Emma's fingertips.

That little gesture only made Emma feel worse. She felt like an absolute _villain_. A monster.

"I've ruined the honeymoon," she muttered and fumbled with the car keys.

"Now that _is_ ridiculous," Regina huffed. "We had a perfectly wonderful honeymoon, Emma."

"I'm _awful_ ," Emma continued. "Here I am, sitting and moaning about feeling terrible when _you're_ the one with a broken bone, and…Mmmph!"

Regina had without any further ado interrupted her little "speech" by grabbing the back of her neck and kissing her rather fiercely.

"Shut _up_ ," Regina hissed when she broke the kiss, and left Emma gasping for air. "Enough self-loathing. We had the _best_ honeymoon, you _didn't_ push me down the stairs on purpose, and despite what you think, the pain isn't that bad. But if you don't quit bashing yourself in the head over this, I might just get angry, and I'm sure you don't want to see that, okay?"

"O…okay." Emma said timidly and started the car.

Regina leaned her head back and closed her eyes as Emma drove them back to the beach house.

"But it hurts like a bitch though, doesn't it?" Emma asked after a moment in silence.

Regina just exhaled softly and didn't answer.

Back in the beach house, Emma promptly helped Regina sit down on the couch and carefully propped her swollen ankle up on several cushions.

"I'll pack the rest of our stuff. You just sit tightly," Emma said firmly.

"But…"

" _No_. Nu-uh, not in a million years, Regina," Emma said and folded her arms across her chest. "You're _not_ gonna help. You have a broken ankle. Just… stay where you are, okay? Do you need anything? Painkillers? Water? A less clumsy wife?"

Regina laughed, a little, bubbly sound in the back of her throat. "No, I'm fine, Emma."

Emma chose to take her word for it, and the blonde quickly packed the rest of their stuff into the car. Then she joined Regina on the couch where she spent the rest of their evening apologizing some more, until Regina barked at her to shut up and threaded to hit her with the crutches.

Early next morning, they left for the airport, and Emma once again felt like the biggest villain in Storybrooke when she watched Regina try her best to hobble along on her crutches through the airport.

Thirteen hours later, two very tired women reunited with Storm at Boston Airport. Emma felt completely dizzy from being air born for thirteen hours, and the time difference didn't exactly make it better.

Regina looked exactly the same and she didn't say much as she hobbled after Emma with Storm trailing along after her. The clever beast didn't even need a leash. He followed Regina.

"You _are_ able to heal that ankle once we get back to Storybrooke, right?" Emma said as she helped Regina into the Mercedes.

"I'm not too sure," Regina said and winced when she actually put her weight on her injured leg. "I sustained this injury in a land without magic, so it might be a trickier, and besides, all magic…"

"Comes with a price," Emma finished the sentence.

"Exactly. I know you're tired, and I would have offered to drive, but…." She gestured to her ankle.

"Don't worry. I'm pretty sure, driving home is the least I can do after what I di.."

"Stop it." Regina said firmly and scratched Storm's ear. The dog looked rather content, sitting on the car floor. Then her phone chimed, and Regina straightened her back as she retrieved her phone from the depths of her pockets.

"Mary Margaret?" Emma asked as she started the car and drove away from the parking lot.

"Zelena. She wanted to know if we had landed," Regina said as she tapped in her answer.

"Oh." Emma sniggered softly. Zelena had texted Regina quite a bit during these three weeks, and Emma suspected that the redhead missed her sister terribly. It was really quite amusing to witness how Zelena had shifted 180 degrees and had gone from resenting Regina to being an overprotective older sister.

"Well, next stop Storybrooke," Emma chuckled, and her heart fluttered when she thought of Veronica. Now she could really feel how much she had missed her little girl.

"Indeed so, miss Swan," Regina yawned and carefully rested her injured ankle on top of the other.

Emma tried not to wince at the movement. No matter how " _fine_ " Regina claimed to be, and no matter how " _not angry_ " she was, Emma still felt absolutely terrible with how the honeymoon had ended.

Five hours later, Emma felt a certain rush of something and wheezed slightly when she felt her magic return. They had just crossed the town line, and Honolulu already seemed like a memory.

Regina woke up from her nap and coughed violently. Emma saw her dark eyes glow purple momentarily, and then Regina inhaled shakily.

"Okay?" Emma asked and reached for Regina's hand.

"I'm fine," Regina said and made a grimace. "It's just a lot of magic to get into your system all at once."

"Yeah, I see what you mean," Emma nodded. She was feeling rather dizzy herself. "And your ankle?"

"Still broken," Regina frowned. "I'll try and heal it once we have unpacked, but unfortunately, I don't think there's any guaranties."

"I'm sorry," Emma said for the millionth time that day.

"Stop apologizing, miss Swan."

Emma held her tongue as they drove down Main Street, passed Granny's Diner, the Sheriff's Station, David and Mary Margaret's old apartment, and then rounded a corner, driving down Miffling Street.

The blonde smiled widely as she saw the mansion. _Home, sweet home_. Now she could feel how much she had actually missed Storybrooke.

"Well, I guess that was it," Regina smiled.

"Yeah, it would seem so," Emma grinned and twisted her upper body slightly in the driver's seat to look at Regina.

"Thank you." Regina said softly and entwined their fingers.

"For what?" Emma blinked. _I wasn't aware that I had done anything. Besides breaking her ankle, and that's hardly something she would thank me for_.

"For giving me the perfect honeymoon," Regina answered and squeezed Emma's fingers.

"Oh..." Now Emma was smiling too. "Believe me when I say that it was my pleasure."

Regina chuckled. "Yes, I suppose it was." she leaned in, broken ankle or not, and kissed Emma softly.

Emma immediately returned the sentiment and cupped Regina's cheek. Regina answered _that_ by wrapping her arms around Emma.

"If you're not careful, I'll be sitting on your lap in a second," Emma warned, and Regina sniggered.

"And what would be the harm in that, sweetheart?"

"We're in a public place."

"Mmm, the _beach_ also happened to be a public place, the _porch_ was a public place, your point being?" Regina drawled.

"Uh... This is Storybrooke. I'm supposed to be the Sheriff, and _you're_ supposed to be the Mayor. I don't think snogging in your car would be very wise."

"Ah. Well perhaps I should step down and leave the mayoral duties to your mother," Regina quipped as she reluctantly let go of Emma and opened the car door.

Storm elegantly hopped out of the Mercedes and immediately ventured out in the garden, looking absolutely ready to take a closer look at his new home.

Emma quickly exited the Mercedes too, and rushed over to the passenger side and helped Regina out of the car.

"Thank you, dear," Regina said half-seriously and gracefully positioned the crutches on the ground.

Emma got a hold of Storm and waited as Regina unlocked the door to the mansion. the first thing to meet their eyes when they went inside, was this massive banner hanging in the kitchen, saying: " **WELCOME HOME** "

 _Jesus Christ…_

"You know, we may have to confiscate your mothers key," Regina said dryly as she looked at the gigantic banner.

"Mmm, agreed," Emma said and chuckled as Storm immediately started sniffing around in the whole house.

Regina pulled out a chair, sat down and waved her hand over her injured ankle. Then she frowned.

"It's not working?" Emma questioned and raised an eyebrow.

"No..." Regina pursed her lips. "Maybe my magic just has to… settle in or something."

"Yeah, maybe."

Regina huffed as she rose from the chair and balanced her crutches. "So, what do say? Quick shower and then we fetch our daughter?"

"And our dog," Emma reminded her.

"Yes, her too."

Moving Regina to the first floor was fairly easy, Emma just had to wave her hand and transport them both into the bathroom, but actually _showering_ was a bit more difficult. It quickly became obvious that Regina couldn't shower on her own, so Emma ended up holding her upright while Regina did her best to wash her hair, rinse off _and_ balance on one foot. It turned into a farce, and once they were done, Regina bursted out in this delightful, heartedly laughter that was positively contagious, and Emma just had to laugh along with her.

"Well, _that_ was interesting," Regina commented as she zipped her pencil skirt and smoothened her blouse.

"Very," Emma sniggered and tied her boots. "I mean, we've showered in many different ways, but never like _that_."

"I do hope my magic soon will be stable enough to heal my ankle," Regina said.

"Mmm, but if not… I could think of worse fates than having to help you in the bath," Emma grinned.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Let's go and get Veronica."

Emma grinned shamelessly as she followed her limping wife outside.

Outside Granny's they found Lady tied up. The cocker spaniel looked up and started whining and yapping as soon as she saw Emma and Regina.

" _Lady_!" Emma cooed as she quickly untied the dog. "Oooh, we missed you! Who's a good girl, hmm, hmm?"

Lady yapped again and proceeded to give Emma a rather slobby welcome home kiss.

"Did they leave you out here all _alone_?" Regina frowned and struggled a bit with her crutches as she bent down, patting Lady and scratching her ear, only narrowly avoiding the cocker spaniel's slobby version of a welcome home kiss.

"Oh-uh, I think we've been spotted," Emma grinned as she straightened her position. She could see their son craning his neck and smiling like a maniac.

"Well, let's go in and let people now we've returned, then. Come on, Lady," Regina said and clapped her hands once to get Lady's attention.

The bell above the door chimed, and Emma saw her parents look up and then immediately stand from the booth in the corner. David was holding Veronica. Emma's grin widened.

" _Emma_!" Snow exclaimed, and the next second Emma was nearly strangled when Mary Margaret hugged her tightly.

"Hey, mom," Emma chuckled and wrapped her arms around her mother for a second. Then it was David's turn to wrap one arm around his daughter, balancing his granddaughter in his other arm.

"Regina."

Emma stretched her neck and saw Zelena give Regina a hug. The redhead frowned and raised an eyebrow as she looked at the crutches. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing to worry about," Regina nonchalantly brushed her off and returned the hug. "It's good to be home again."

"It's good to see you again," Henry grinned as he pulled first Regina in for a hug, and then Emma.

"And I think someone have missed you," David added, and Veronica squealed and wriggled in his arms.

"Oh, honey!" Emma gushed and practically ripped Veronica out of David's arms. She squeezed the baby. "We've missed you _so_ much." She peppered Veronica's cheeks with kisses and wrapped one arm around Henry. "Hey, kid."

"Hi, Ma," Henry grinned. "Good trip?"

" _Wonderful_ trip," Regina corrected and shot Emma a look of impatience. "Now may I _please_ say hello to our daughter?"

"I think mommy is getting impatient, little bird," Emma quipped and handed the wiggling baby to Regina. The brunette obviously had a bit of trouble with holding on to both Veronica and the damned crutches, so Emma quickly stepped in and placed a steady hand on Regina's upper arm, so Regina was able to give Veronica a proper hug.

"Thank you, dear. Hi, darling! Ohh, we've _missed_ you! Yes, we did, yes, we did, next time you're going with us." She kissed Veronica's forehead and then her cheeks.

Veronica squealed and tugged at Regina's hair.

"Come, come, sit down," Snow sing song'ed. "We want to hear everything about the trip!"

"Uh… for the record, I _really_ don't want to hear _everything_ ," Zelena interjected dryly and wrinkled her nose.

"Honestly, Zelena, do you mind?" Regina barked and handed Veronica over to Emma.

"But seriously though, what happened to your ankle, Regina?" David asked once they were seated in a booth and Veronica had settled down on Regina's lap.

"Just a minor accident," Regina shrugged, and Emma stroked Veronica's hair.

"Hmm, _that_ much have put a damper on the honeymoon," Zelena said casually, and Regina shot her a deathly glare.

"It happened this morning- uh, yesterday, time difference, so no, no harm done, sister _dear_."

"But _what_ happened?" Snow asked. "Is your ankle broken?"

"Yes," Regina said shortly.

"It was _my_ fault," Emma admitted and winced. "I, uh… sort of pushed her down the stairs."

"You did _what_ now?" Zelena said and Emma swore she could see steam coming out of her ears.

"It was an _accident_ ," Regina said quickly. "And I'm fine."

Zelena kept staring at Emma like she was a particularly nasty insect she had found under a rock.

"I take full responsibility," Emma said. "And before you ask, yes, I feel guilty as hell, okay?" she pressed her palm against her forehead.

"You have a _very_ clumsy daughter," Regina silkily told Snow and David who both looked a little startled over Emma's confession.

"Apparently." Snow said and raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"It was an _accident_!" Emma half-shrieked. "I feel awful, okay?"

Henry chuckled lightly and gave her shoulder a little squeeze.

"Once we get back, I'll ask your sweet daughter to heal my ankle, and then it will be like it never even happened," Regina said and dropped another kiss on Veronica's forehead.

"Well, good. Then you'll be able to dance at the harvest ball," Snow said cheerily and pressed her hands together.

"We're having a harvest ball?" Regina asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" Snow exclaimed and grinned. "Tomorrow. At the town hall."

"And it didn't occur to you to inform the _Mayor_ of that?" Regina pursed her lips and turned to Emma. "Did _you_ know anything about this, miss Swan?"

"Innocent." Emma said and bobbed her shoulders once.

"Well, the _Mayor_ happened to be on her honeymoon, and we couldn't possibly bother her with something so minor as a _harvest ball_ ," Snow drawled.

"So you just decided to have one without my permission?"

"Yes."

"Well," Regina put a hand on Emma's shoulder. "I guess that means we're going to a harvest ball, miss Swan."

 _ **To Be Continued….**_


	33. Chapter 33

_**((Whew! We're almost at the end, guys. Just one more chapter left. Thank you to all who stuck with this story!))**_

 _ **Feels Like Home To Me**_

 _ **Part 33**_

Sniffing.

That was the first thing Emma noticed when she woke up the following morning. She felt absolutely confused and for a moment she was certain that she was still in Hawaii.

But then she gradually became aware of her surroundings. She wasn't in Hawaii. She was in Storybrooke. More specifically, in her and Regina's bed on Mifflin Street.

Emma fumbled and outstretched a hand, but there was no Regina lying next to her in the bed.

And there was that sniffing again.

Something was sniffing very close to her ear.

Emma finally opened her eyes and came face to face with Lady, who was pouncing on her chest and sniffing into her ear.

"Hey, go away," Emma protested vaguely and pushed the cocker spaniel away from her face. "Leave me alone."

She had barely finished the sentence before the mattress dipped slightly and Storm elegantly jumped into the bed and joined Lady's sniffing party.

"No!" Emma protested when Lady started licking her cheek and Storm stuck his wet nose into her ear.

Of course, neither of the dogs responded to that and Emma wheezed when Storm placed his paws on her stomach.

"Seriously, get _out_. Both of you," Emma huffed as she firmly waved the dogs away. "What a way to be woken up."

She was still moaning and complaining when she stood from the bed and slipped a robe over her tanktop. Both dogs followed her as she shuffled out of the bedroom.

She found Regina downstairs with Veronica on her lap. They were clearly in the middle of breakfast, and Emma smiled when Veronica raised a pudgy arm and gurgled at her.

Regina looked up too and smiled when she spotted Emma coming into the kitchen. "Good morning."

"'Morning," Emma said and pressed a light kiss to the side of Regina's head. Veronica giggled when her blonde mother did the same to her.

"Why didn't you wake me in time for breakfast?" Emma half-complained as Regina lifted another spoonful of the baby food up to Veronica's eager little mouth.

"You looked so peaceful. I didn't have the heart," Regina said and chuckled when Veronica tried to grab the spoon.

Emma poured herself a glass of orange juice, a cup of coffee and snatched two slices of toast. "And what happened to the "no dogs in the bedroom"-rule?"

"Were they in the bedroom?" Regina frowned and glanced at Lady and Storm.

"You bet. Both of them pouncing on my chest like wild animals."

Regina chuckled warmly. "I must have forgotten to close the door after me. Sorry about that."

"Yeah, it was quite the wake-up call," Emma complained and muttered under her breath: "If anyone is gonna pounce on my chest in the bedroom, I would prefer it to be you and not the _dogs_."

Regina raised an eyebrow and her mouth twitched. "I'll try to remember that the next time I wake up early."

"That would be appreciated," Emma chuckled and reached out to touch Veronica's cheek. The baby seemed perfectly contend with sitting on her mother's lap and be fed.

"Maaa!" Veronica exclaimed gleefully and both Emma and Regina chuckled at that.

"Was that a "mama", little bird?" Emma asked tenderly and booped Veronica's little button nose.

"Not quite. But almost." Regina said softly. "Do you mind taking her for a second? I really need another cup of coffee."

"Sure, no problem. Hi, sweetie," Emma cooed as Regina placed Veronica in her lap. "Are you ready for your first harvest ball tonight?" she asked and brushed a hand through Veronica's dark hair.

"Oh god, the _harvest ball_ ," Regina groaned and made a grimace. "I completely forgot all about that."

"I think my mom would be _very_ disappointed if we bailed," Emma commented and resumed Regina's task at feeding Veronica.

"I didn't say anything about bailing, darling. I just expressed my… disinterest in going," Regina corrected half-heartedly and patted Storm who was slinking around her ankles.

"That sounds an awful lot like bailing to me," Emma grinned.

"Of _course_ we'll go," Regina said as she sat down again. "But I doubt my head will appreciate it, though."

"Yeah, the jetlag is pretty awful," Emma agreed.

"Mmm, almost a bit like having bad hangovers," Regina quipped as she broke a piece of toast off for both of the dogs. "It reminds me of the good old days in Seattle."

"Are you feeding the dogs at the table?"

Regina ignored that.

"But you're right," Emma continued. "It _does_ feel a bit like Seattle."

"Minus the dubious clothing." Regina commented.

"Gahh," Veronica piped up.

"And little Roni," Emma interjected and chuckled when the baby grabbed a fistful of her hair.

" _Ve_ roni _ca_ ," Regina immediately corrected, and Emma laughed again.

"I think she's done eating," Regina added when Veronica started squirming on Emma's lap.

"It would seem so. Down you go, baby girl. There." Emma carefully placed Veronica on the floor, and the baby immediately started pushing herself forward on her hands and knees.

Regina chuckled again as the dogs' attention shifted from the table to the baby on the floor. Lady and Storm soon followed Veronica's giggly crawl around the kitchen.

Regina rose from the chair, probably to put the dishes away, but Emma caught her wrist and pulled her closer until Regina was exactly where Emma wanted her. On her lap.

"What do you want, miss Swan?" Regina asked teasingly and raised an eyebrow.

"Good morning," Emma chuckled and gave Regina's waist a little squeeze.

"I _think_ we've already said good morning, dear." Regina slyly pointed out as she fiddled with a lock of Emma's golden hair.

"Not like this we haven't," Emma waved her off and covered Regina's lips with her own, before the brunette could actually answer.

Regina chuckled a little and then her fingers slid up to cup Emma's cheeks as she returned the kiss.

Their lips moved flawlessly against each other, effortlessly exploring new rhythms that fitted them both, and Emma could feel how her heart sped up and her cheeks and neck flushed. Suddenly, it seemed like a brilliant idea to take Regina back to bed. jetlag or not.

"Ooooh!" Veronica piped up from the floor, and Emma groaned quietly when Regina broke the kiss.

But Regina just sniggered and rose from Emma's lap. She quickly bent down and scooped Veronica into her arms, kissing her cheek.

"You are a little spoilsport, kid," Emma commented as she too rose from her chair.

Regina grinned shamelessly, so Emma took her "revenge" by giving her rear a solid squeeze.

Regina yelped and whirled around, shooting Emma a look of disdain. "Do you want me to drop our daughter, miss Swan?"

Emma just grinned in the way Regina had done a second ago and gave her rear another squeeze.

"Emma. _Stop_." Regina warned. "The honeymoon is over."

"I refuse to believe that," Emma said firmly. She was already dreaming herself back to Honolulu. To warm sand. To a crystal blue ocean. And to a trembling Regina underneath her.

"Back to reality, dear," Regina said and pecked Emma's lips. "And get dressed. We're going for a walk."

So Emma willingly got dressed in a pair of light jeans and a tanktop. Jackets weren't required. It was another warm day in Storybrooke. Admittedly, not as warm as Honolulu, but it was worth mentioning.

Regina was already waiting for her on the porch. She and Veronica were both dressed. Regina in her usual pantsuit attire, and Veronica in a cute, yellow dress with ruffles.

"Ready to go, miss Swan?" Regina asked as they joined forces and maneuvered the stroller down the steps.

"Yep." Emma grinned. "Any particular destination?"

Regina shrugged. "Not really. I just figured a walk would be nice. Maybe help a bit with the jetlag."

"Good thinking," Emma praised as they walked down Mifflin Street. Veronica gurgled satisfied in the stroller and seemed very interested in her surroundings.

Emma extended her hand out and made a "come here" motion with her fingers to Regina, and the brunette only raised her eyebrow for two seconds before she got the hint and interlaced their fingers.

Emma squeezed her fingers a little and chuckled to herself. Hand-holding was a habit she had developed in Honolulu, and it seemed to stick. And oddly enough, Regina didn't seem to mind it anymore, and heavens know she wasn't the most "touchy-feely" person in the world.

But right now, as they strolled down the street with Veronica in the stroller, Regina seemed perfectly fine with holding Emma's hand in public.

 _Finally_. _Only took her a marriage to be fine with it_.

"I love you," Emma said spontaneously, and Veronica cooed.

"I love you too," Regina said slightly surprised and chuckled a little. "What brought _this_ on, miss Swan?"

Emma bobbed her shoulder once. "Just felt like saying it, I guess."

Regina smirked a little. "I suppose I ought to kiss you for that sentiment, but I have a distinct feeling that your mother would appear out of nowhere and _smile_ if I did."

"Risk it." Emma encouraged with a grin. "Live a little, Madam Mayor."

Regina chuckled warmly, and the stroller came to a halt in the middle of the pavement as she leaned in and brushed her lips lightly against Emma's.

Emma would have done much to extend the moment just a little longer, but much too soon, Regina pulled back, chuckled and said: "There. Satisfied?"

"Nope," Emma grinned cheekily. "But you know me, I'm always in the gutter."

"Yes, don't I know it," Regina said and feigned being stern, but Emma could see how pleased she actually was.

They continued their little walk, and shortly before they reached the park, Emma spotted what appeared to be a newly opened ice cream parlor. "Feeling like getting some ice cream, Madam Mayor?"

Regina's eyebrows rose again, but this time it seemed genuinely enough. "No thank you, I just had breakfast. But please, be my guest…"

She didn't have to say that twice, really. Emma immediately ordered an ice cream. Three scoops. Vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. It tasted absolutely _delicious_ , and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

They continued their walk into the park, settled down on a bench, and Emma had just made a comment about how they should have brought the dogs with them, when she noticed, Regina eying the ice cream rather intensely.

"It's good." Emma said nonchalantly.

"Happy to hear that, dear." Regina nodded and brushed a finger through Veronica's unruly hair.

" _Very_ good," Emma précised and took another bite of the ice cream.

"That's good." Regina said and shot her a rather confused look.

"I'm actually pretty sure it's one of the best ice creams I have ever tasted."

"That's nice. I'm happy to hear you enjoy your ice cream, Emma." Regina said dryly and raised an eyebrow again.

Emma shook her head and grinned a little. _Damn, sometimes this woman really can't take a hint. And she's the one staring the ice cream down_.

Emma decided to "help things along" a little and stretched her hand (and ice cream) out towards Regina. "Taste."

"No, thank you." Regina said and adjusted the hood on Veronica's stroller to make sure the sun didn't shine directly onto the little girl's face.

"Regina, you are literally goggling at the ice cream," Emma half-sniggered.

"That doesn't mean I want to taste it," Regina pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure you want too, though. Come on. One bite won't kill you." Emma said persuasively and waved the ice cream in Regina's face.

Regina didn't react to that, she just shot Emma a look of disapproval and pursed her lips stubbornly.

But she wasn't the only one who was bull-headed. Emma shook her head again and said: "God damnit, Regina. Just take a lick already!"

Regina's jaw dropped, and she remained silent for ten seconds exactly. Then she spluttered and shot Emma an amused look. "Sometimes I wonder if you can actually hear the words that comes out of your mouth, miss Swan."

Emma nearly dropped the ice cream and her voice bubbled when she said: "I was just talking about ice cream, Madam Mayor. Now _who's_ the one in the gutter?"

Regina chuckled lightly and gave Emma's knee a light pat. Veronica squealed in delight, all though she had no clue what the joke was.

"But seriously, just _take a lick_ ," Emma teased and waved the ice cream in Regina's face again.

" _Fine_." Regina surrendered. "Kindly hold it still."

"I assure you, my grip is steadfast."

Regina rolled her dark eyes at her and then she leaned in and took a bite of the ice cream. It was a strictly normal thing to do, take a bite of an ice cream, but Emma still found it to be ridiculously attractive. _Damn, that woman can make_ _anything_ _look attractive_.

"You're right. It _is_ good," Regina nodded and licked her lips.

"Another bite?" Emma offered sweetly. But this time she had a hidden agenda. And it had fairly little to do with Regina's sudden fondness for ice cream. It had something to do with Emma's fondness for _seeing_ Regina take a bite of the ice cream.

"Are you offering?" Regina asked. "Don't you want it for yourself?"

"Nah, plenty of ice cream for the both of us," Emma said innocently.

"Oh. Well, if you _insist_ ," Regina drawled and leaned in again. And this time around, her tongue actually darted out and _licked_ the ice cream. Literally.

Emma's throat suddenly felt rather dry and her grip on the ice cream not so steadfast anymore.

"Emma! Regina!"

Regina quickly pulled away and licked the ice cream off her lips. "Told you." She muttered and motioned toward the edge of the park.

Emma followed her gaze and quickly saw what Regina saw. Mary Margaret and Henry came walking towards them.

"Hi moms." Henry grinned as he sat down next to them on the bench. "What are you guys up to?"

"Eating ice cream," Emma said truthfully, and was immediately rewarded with a light jab to her ribs from Regina.

Snow smiled brightly at that.

"Where's Lucy?" Regina inquired and looked at Henry.

"Somewhere in the park with Grandpa," Henry said and shrugged. "I think she's entertaining him with talk of the harvest ball. She's very excited."

Regina groaned quietly, and Emma didn't have to look to know, that Regina had managed to forget all about the harvest ball again.

 _ **To Be Continued..**_


	34. Chapter 34

**Feels Like Home To Me**

 **Chapter 34**

"Have you ever been to a harvest ball before?" Emma inquired as she put her earrings in.

"Yes, those were fairly popular back in the Enchanted Forest," Regina nodded, and then added as an afterthought: "But I always found them to be terribly boring."

Emma chuckled. "Well, _this_ harvest ball won't be boring. _I'll_ see to that."

Regina flashed her a little half-smirk and shifted Veronica in her arms. "Is that a promise, miss Swan?"

"Yep. Definitely."

"Okay. You're on. But I don't dance," Regina warned.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course you do." Emma nonchalantly dismissed her.

"But I don't _like_ dancing," Regina grumbled quietly, and Emma chuckled. For someone who claimed to be "a queen and a bit more refined", Regina sure could sound like a five-year-old.

"You danced at our wedding."

"That was mandatory."

"And you danced in Seattle. A lot." And that was to put it lightly. " _Roni_ " had been quite the dancer. Preferably when she was drunk. Which she was a lot.

"Let's not bring that up again." Regina said dully and adjusted the bow in Veronica's dark curls.

Emma chuckled. "Don't be embarrassed. I found it to be incredibly hot."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "You found a drunken woman stumbling around to be " _incredibly hot_ "? I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You have some strange preferences, miss Swan."

"Mhmm," Emma said noncommittally. She wasn't really paying attention to what Regina was saying anymore. She was more focused on what Regina was _wearing_. Which just so happened to be an illegally tight red dress that hugged her body her curves just so.

 _I swear to god, she could wear a plastic bag and she would still look good._ Jeans a leopard shirt paired with a ragged denim jacket, or a tight red dress or a pantsuit, Regina looked _damn_ good. And even though Emma _did_ have a weakness for Regina in jeans, she had to admit that todays choice of wardrobe was very… becoming.

Regina furrowed her brow slightly in a "what" manner, and Emma shook her head a little. Was it really possible that Regina still didn't know the effect she had on Emma?

"Are you ready to party the Storybrooke way?" Regina asked sardonically and sat Veronica down on the floor. The baby immediately raised on her hands and knees and started crawling around.

"Could you at least act like you want to go?" Emma said and rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to go," Regina said plainly. "We've barely landed, and my head is still screwed up because of the time difference..."

"We'll leave early," Emma assured and turned around.

"Good."

"And…" Emma added and put her hands on Regina's hips to draw her closer. "If you're not too tired when we get home, we could… _party the Storybrooke way_."

"Are you trying to bribe me with sex again?" Regina asked plainly but she looked suspiciously amused.

"No," Emma denied and gave her hips a little squeeze. "I'm giving you something to look forward to."

"That still sounds an awful lot like bribing to me, miss Swan." Regina said and shot Emma a not very convincing stern look.

"Careful with that in public," Emma warned.

"Careful with what?"

"The… _Miss Swan_ thing." Emma muttered halfheartedly. "I'm starting to connect it to something that might not be completely innocent."

"Oh. Noted." Regina chuckled. "Don't be embarrassed."

"But it's _weird_ ," Emma muttered more to herself than to Regina. In the very beginning she had found it to be irritating, maybe even a little unnerving because Regina was the only person in Storybrooke who called her "miss Swan", later on, she knew that "miss Swan" meant that Regina was ticked off. "Miss Swan" was a stop sign, so to speak. A stop talking sign.

But _now_ … whenever Regina called her "Miss Swan" now, Emma immediately pictured a gasping and panting Regina underneath her.

Which was a rather unfortunate thing to picture in public.

"I'm pretty sure I've heard of weirder stuff… _miss Swan_." Regina drawled.

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"We're not in public right now dear." Regina reminded her.

"Our daughter is here." Emma retorted.

"Point taken." Regina said and scooped Veronica in to her arms. "Well, we better get going then."

"Yeah." Emma glanced in the mirror to check her appearance one last time.

"You look beautiful." Regina said and tugged at her hand. "Come on. Let's get this _thing_ over with already."

"It's a harvest ball. Not a thing." Emma sweetly mocked.

Regina sneered and rolled her eyes.

It quickly turned out that a harvest ball in Storybrooke was a pretty big " _thing_ ". Every last citizen of Storybrooke was present, and Emma gaped.

"Jeez, my mom really outdid herself with this one."

"Indeed. But is she gonna be here to clean up the town hall tomorrow? That's the question." Regina said darkly.

Emma sniggered. "I'll help you clean up. For better and for worse, exactly like I promised."

She managed to make Regina smile at that.

Veronica babbled in Emma's arms. Clearly, _she_ was excited about being here.

"Emma! Regina!"

"Why does your mother always sound like an over excited cartoon character?" Regina grumbled.

"Shh! She'll hear you," Emma warned.

"So what. I've called her far worse than that," Regina muttered.

Emma tried to stifle her giggles. "Stop being such a grouch."

Regina rewarded her with an eyeroll.

"Seriously, keep that up, and I might have to call you Grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy!" Regina firmly denied.

"Yes, you are." Emma said. "And _very_ grumpy too, that is."

Regina shot her another look of disapproval.

"Who's grumpy?" Mary Margaret as she approached the couple with a drink her hand and a smile plastered to her face.

"No one."

"Regina."

Regina shook her head. "Must you blow my cover so soon, Emma?"

Snow frowned a little. "And exactly _why_ are you grumpy, Regina?"

"I'm not _grumpy_ ," Regina firmly denied. "I'm just tired."

"Oh. Jetlag?"

"Yes. Apparently, your daughter has a stronger tolerance than me," the brunette half-quipped.

"A stronger tolerance for what?" David asked as he joined them.

"Jumping between time zones."

"Oh," David chuckled and then took Veronica's chubby little hand in his. "Hi, Veronica."

"Hi," Veronica replied sweetly, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Which it kind of was, expect…

"Did she just…?" Regina gaped.

"Yeah, I heard it too," Emma confirmed and grinned widely.

"Her first word," Snow gushed.

"And to _me_ ," David said triumphantly.

"A mere coincidence," Regina deadpanned, but she didn't look one bit displeased.

"We should ask her to say it again," Emma grinned.

But Veronica had spotted the many shiny lights from the colorful bulbs dangling from the ceiling, and she appeared to be completely bewitched by them.

"Or maybe not," Emma added.

"Father-daughter dance?" David offered and extended a hand out towards Emma.

Emma handed Veronica over to Mary Margaret, but she fixated her gaze on Regina for a moment as she hesitated.

"Please be my guest," Regina said dryly. "I'm just gonna find a quiet corner and…" she hid a yawn behind her hand.

"And don't worry," Snow interjected as she gripped Regina's arm. "I'll make sure she doesn't fall asleep before you had your dance."

"I. Don't. Dance." Regina grumbled under her breath.

Emma tried her best to suffocate her amusement as David gallantly and fatherly took her arm and lead her out on the dance floor with the rest of the crowd.

"Happy?" he asked as they did their best to dance/sway in tact to the music.

"Very," Emma grinned. "To be honest, I don't think life could be much better."

David smiled widely. "Happy to hear that, Emma."

The music wasn't quite what Emma would have chosen, but she and David made it work, and Emma felt almost proud when they succeeded in not one, but _two_ father daughter dances.

"I should probably go and see if your mother wants the next dance," David said and gave Emma a half-hug with his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah. And I think I'll see if I can lure Regina out on the dance floor," Emma grinned.

"Good luck with that," David quipped.

And "luring" Regina out on the dance floor proved to be quite the difficult task. At first, she used Veronica as an excuse. They couldn't leave the baby alone while they _danced_ , but then Henry, Ella and Lucy had shown up and Henry had immediately "swooped in" and offered to watch his little sister while his two moms shared a dance or two.

And Regina had glared at him and not seemed at all grateful. But she was also out of excuses, so in the end, Emma managed to persuade into dancing one dance with her. _One_.

The brunette continued to scowl and look displeased as Emma rested her hands on her hips and they swayed to the music.

"Pretend to enjoy it," Emma said.

Regina's frown deepened.

Emma leaned forward so she could whisper in Regina's ear: "Be nice to me now, and I'll be nice to _you_ later."

"You better be," Regina muttered.

"Why don't you like dancing?" Emma asked.

"I'm not very good at it." Regina said plainly.

"I think you're doing fine," Emma smiled. "You haven't stepped on my toes."

"Yet." Regina said glumly. "But I _did_ step on your fathers once."

"You danced with my father?" Emma inquired as they twirled around. "When?"

"Camelot. I was trying to bail on the ball and your mother found out it was because I couldn't dance, so…"

"She hired my dad as your dance instructor?"

"Yes. Though, I'm not sure how good a dance instructor he was..."

"You're doing fine," Emma repeated.

Regina flashed her a little smile. "Thank you, dear. But I think I prefer the "dances" I was doing in Seattle."

"I prefer those too," Emma grinned as she remembered how "Roni" used to shimmy around in her tight jeans and tank tops.

"Our son is watching us." Regina stated of matter of factly.

"Half of town is watching us," Emma retorted just as matter of factly.

"You know, someday I think your mother might just burst from whatever emotion she's trying to hold back," Regina said dryly.

Emma looked over the brunette's shoulder. And she was right. Mary Margaret was currently watching them with a ridiculously large grin plastered to her face.

"Is this damaging your reputation, Madam Mayor?"

"My reputation went south a long time ago," Regina muttered.

But Emma could sense that she was getting more comfortable with this. She wasn't as tense anymore. And her arms were draped more naturally around Emma's neck. And she was even beginning to look Emma in the eye instead of looking down and watching her feet.

"See? Not so dangerous now," Emma chuckled warmly.

"I never said it was _dangerous_ , miss Swan."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Careful."

"What?" Regina asked, confused for a moment, but then she seemed to remember what they had discussed earlier. "Oh. Sorry."

"Later," Emma said and leaned forward again to keep the conversation quiet. "Call me miss Swan later."

"You know what, I would _really_ appreciate if you _didn't_ whisper in my ear in front of your parents. And our son." Regina said a bit strained.

Emma grinned. "And what do you think they think we're whispering about?"

"I prefer not to speculate about that."

Emma mock scowled. "I can't whisper in your ear, does that mean I can't kiss you either?"

"Under no circumstances." Regina said.

Emma leaned in and kissed her. "I never listen."

"No, I suppose you don't," Regina almost mused and gave Emma's lips a light peck with her own. "And that's enough scandalizing your parents for one night."

Emma chuckled.

For someone who had never participated in a harvest ball before, Emma very quickly got the hang of it. It was all about dancing and eating and mingling. Henry came and kidnapped Regina after their dance, and afterwards, he came and kidnapped Emma for a "mother-son" dance.

Emma tried her best to coax Regina into one more dance, but she firmly denied. She had promised Emma _one_ dance, and one dance was all she was getting.

Emma had settled for that. She knew that one dance was a huge deal on Regina's part.

They had chatted and laughed with friends and family, Veronica had been in a delightful mood all night, minus one minor temper tantrum that were easily fixed with a bottle of milk and a pacifier. Lucy had fairly early on come and kidnapped the baby, carrying her around and showing her off to all of her friends. No doubt Veronica had been in the very best of hands.

But as the evening progressed, Emma caught Regina sneaking glances at her watch more and more often. And then frowning, because not enough time had passed.

Emma grinned. _Getting impatient, are we_?

No doubt that was the case. Regina looked like she was undergoing mild torture when Snow decided to "fill her in" on all the stuff that had happened in Storybrooke while they were away on honeymoon.

Emma couldn't blame Regina when she quietly excused herself and went over to Zelena.

After a few more drinks, another dance with David and a long chat with Snow about Veronica, Emma glanced at her own watch. Yep. It was _definitely_ time to go home.

Emma found Regina "hiding" in a darkened corner.

"Where did Zelena go?" she inquired.

"I think she said something about making sure Robin doesn't drink too much," Regina shrugged. "Are you enjoying your first harvest ball, Emma?"

"I am." Emma confirmed. "But I think it's getting a bit late, don't you?"

"Mmm, so it is," Regina grinned. "Does that mean we're leaving?"

"Yep. The next party is only for two." Emma said conspiratorially, and she could have sworn she saw Regina bite her lip.

 _Is she on edge? Has she been on edge all night_?

The thought of _that_ was enough to make _Emma_ feel on edge. She grabbed Regina's hand. "For gods sake, let's get out of here. Before I do something scandalous."

Regina smirked.

Emma quickly guided her out of the dark corner and after a quick scan of the room, she located Lucy and Veronica. The baby was currently being entertained by not only Lucy, but by Henry too.

"Sorry to break up the party, kids," Emma said as she snatched Veronica out of Henry's arms. "But we'll probably be leaving now, so…"

"Already?" Lucy said with a ten-year old's innocence and disappointment.

"Yep, afraid so, kid," Emma said. "Veronica is a bit young to party all night."

"Leaving the party early?" Zelena asked as she came over to them.

"Veronica needs her sleep," Regina said, echoing Emma's words.

"Right." Zelena said, but her mouth seemed to be twitching quite a bit.

Regina simply _glared_ at her, and Emma was surprised that Zelena didn't drop it right then and there.

"You're leaving?"

Emma turned her head slightly. So the rumors had reached her mother's ears too.

"Yep." She confirmed. _Let's just make it publicly known that we're skipping the party. No, screw that, I don't care about what people think. As long as they don't delay us._

"Oh. That was a pity." Snow said.

Emma shrugged a little. "I think Veronica is getting tired."

"Of course," Snow gushed and gave Veronica a kiss on the cheek. "Have a good night's sleep, little bird."

"Hi." Veronica said, and Henry chuckled.

"Sleep well, sister dear." Zelena added sweetly.

"Thank you, Zelena." Regina said without looking very embarrassed.

They offered a final goodbye to their family, and then they left the party. Shockingly early.

Turns out they weren't lying. Not entirely. Veronica _was_ tired. She was already half-asleep when they changed her into a pajama, and she didn't even protest in the slightest when they put her down in her crib, turned out the light and slipped out of the nursery.

"That was a long party," Emma stated as she removed the dangly earrings.

"Yes." Regina said plainly and winced a little bit as she removed her ridiculously high heels.

"You know, you could wear shoes with a little less…"

"Absolutely not." Regina said firmly, and then, smirking slightly: "I like towering above you."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You're not intimidating me anymore."

"How tragic." Regina muttered dryly and proceeded to flop back on the bed in a rather un-queenly fashion.

Emma watched as she wiggled her feet a little and then ran a finger through her neatly curled hair. _Thank god for tight dresses_. Said dress was now, thanks to the way Regina was laying, hiked up to her mid-thigh, revealing a blessed amount of Regina's toned legs.

 _Okay, onwards to more important things_. Emma abandoned all thoughts of removing her makeup and walked over to the bed instead. Regina barely got the chance to look up before Emma swiftly climbed up the bed and straddled the brunette.

"Hello," Regina chuckled.

"Hello." Emma said and dipped down to kiss her.

Regina immediately responded to the gesture and her arms looped around Emma's neck. The brunette somehow managed to push herself up in a sitting position so Emma was straddling her lap a bit more normally, but she didn't seem to have a problem with being well… _underneath_.

"Not grumpy anymore?" Emma inquired softly and kissed Regina's cheek instead.

"No. Not much at least."

"What's making you grumpy?" Emma murmured and kissed her jaw.

"Your clothes. And my own."

"Oh. Well, _that_ is rectifiable," Emma chuckled and climbed off Regina's lap momentarily. "Turn around."

Regina turned around in the bed, and Emma made short process of her red dress. She swiftly unzipped it, and Regina wiggled out of it.

"Is that better?" Emma asked.

Regina "answered" by pulling Emma's own dress over her head and throwing it on the floor. "Now it is."

Emma chuckled as she unclasped Regina's bra and dropped the garment to the floor. Regina's nipples were already hard and the brunette shuddered when Emma brushed her fingers over them.

"Lie back down," Emma said, and Regina complied without protesting or demanding to be the one on top.

Emma immediately "went to work" and swiped her tongue over a completely hard nipple. Regina "mm'ed" at that and her hands curled into fists.

That sight triggered something in Emma's brain and she lifted her mouth long enough to ask: "Do you think you could do that thing you did on the honeymoon?"

"I did many things on the honeymoon, miss Swan. You have to be more specific."

Emma abandoned trying to explain what she meant. Why bother with conversation? She wasn't interesting in _talking_ right now. So she grasped Regina's wrists and placed them above her head.

Regina's taunting turned into a wicked little smile. "Oh, _that_ thing."

"Mhmm," Emma said and lowered her mouth to Regina's breast again.

"Would you also like to tie them to the headboard, dear?" Regina asked nonchalantly and arched into the contact.

Emma's mind went blank for a moment at _that_ vision. "Uhh…"

Regina chuckled. "I think you're _kinky_ , miss Swan."

"Says the woman who's talking about having her wrists tied to headboard."

"It was just a s-suggestion," Regina said a bit strained as Emma's tongue went to work once more.

"You would seriously let me do that?" Emma inquired and raised her head slightly.

"I have a distinct feeling it would be enjoyable for both of us. Now kindly get back to what you were doing."

 _An order is an order_. Emma quickly lowered her mouth to Regina's breast and sucked a hard nipple into her mouth. Regina instantly went from complaining to moaning softly instead.

 _Perfect_. Emma began kneading Regina's other breast, making sure both "sides" got the attention it deserved. The sounds Regina were letting out were absolutely _delicious_. Soft moans, quiet whimpers, and…

"Emma, that's just _cheating_!"

Emma blinked for a second. _What's the problem, I'm not doing any…. Oh._ She hadn't even noticed she had started grinding herself against Regina's thigh. Which probably wasn't "helping" Regina much.

 _Best making amends then_. She switched side, sucking Regina's other nipple and kneading her other breast.

"Please don't make me come like this," Regina murmured. "That wouldn't be fair either."

"Desperate?" Emma asked into her chest.

"Y-yeah."

Emma grinned a little at that. It wasn't very often Regina openly admitted being desperate. But then again, Emma _had_ been dropping hints all night.

"Do something about it?" Regina said and grasped one of Emma's hands, guiding it down to where she needed it the most. "Please?"

"You don't need to beg," Emma assured. "Let's see what I can do her…" she trailed off and swallowed thickly. Regina was _soaked_. Sopping. _Dripping_.

"How long have you…?"

"All night," Regina groaned.

"We should have left the party earlier," Emma said and slid a finger inside Regina.

" _Mmm_! Yes- _oh, god_!- we should."

Emma sniggered quietly and slid a second digit inside. God, Regina was so wet and warm and wonderful around her. She started moving her fingers, making sure to brush the heel of her hand to Regina's clit with each thrust. "Good?"

"U-uh-huh." Regina hissed and bucked her hips in a distinct way Emma immediately recognized.

"You want one more?" the blonde grinned.

"Mhmm."

 _Your wish is my command_. Emma stilled her movements just long enough to slide a third finger inside.

Regina moaned, and Emma started moving her fingers within her again. _Damn, we should just have skipped that party all together and stayed here instead._ Regina's hips were moving in perfect tandems with Emma's movements, and Emma was in complete awe when she realized that Regina's wrists hadn't moved an inch. _How the fuck can she even have so much self-control_? _It's not… Normal. Anybody else would have their hands all over my back by now._

 _But then again, Regina isn't "anybody". Definitely not._

Suddenly, Regina stopped moaning and Emma could see how her neck strained slightly. The blonde grinned as she sped up her movements. She knew exactly what that meant. Regina was close.

Emma continued to suck at Regina's pulse point and pressed the heel of her hand to her clit again.

Regina went completely still underneath her. Her jaw fell open and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her self control finally failing as one hand locked in Emma's hair, pulling her in for a kiss.

And then, with a throaty moan and a deliciously breathless " _Emma_!" Regina fell apart and her thighs quaked slightly.

Emma didn't move either as Regina melted into the mattress, and if the blonde was heavy, Regina didn't say anything about it. Quite the contrary, her arms wrapped around Emma's waist, keeping her exactly where she was.

Emma sighed contented into Regina's neck as she slowly withdrew her fingers. Sometimes she suspected that this was what Regina cherished the most. The closeness they shared afterwards.

And Emma loved that too, she really did, there was just one problem…

"Regina?"

"Mhmm?"

"I… I really need to get this bra off." Emma confessed.

Regina didn't even answer. She simply flicked her wrist making Emma's bra _and_ panties disappear in thin air.

"Thanks," Emma grinned.

"The pleasure was entirely mine," Regina said, still with her eyes closed.

"Do you need a moment, or can I cheat now?"

"Cheat away, dear," Regina encouraged gently and palmed Emma's breasts.

Emma immediately started grinding herself against Regina's thigh again. Regina wasn't the only one who had been needing this for most of the night.

And Regina was being extremely "helpful" in the way she kneaded Emma's breasts and whispered absolutely sordid things. _That woman is a fucking master in dirty talk_. If Regina physically was too tired to help Emma along, her _voice_ was enough to make Emma moan. She made even the worst of porn lines sound incredible.

Emma sped up the grinding. She was close, of course she was. She couldn't last, she never could. Not with _Regina_.

A few more well-chosen words and a few, solid kneads of Regina's hands, and Emma tumbled over the edge with Regina's name on her lips.

She was so lost in the pleasure that zinged through her veins she barely noticed that Regina flipped them, so she was the one on top.

"You _did_ ask me to pounce on your chest in the bedroom, didn't you?" Regina asked softly as she began kneading Emma's breasts again.

"I've made a mess of you," Emma noted as she felt how sticky Regina's thigh was.

"Yes, I think it's only fair that I get to make a mess out of _you_ ," Regina grinned as she removed Emma's panties and threw them on the floor.

"What happened to the no clothes on the floor rule?"

"Not applying right now."

Emma grinned as Regina slowly kissed her way down. She was in for a _very_ good night. It seemed like they picked up right where they left on in Hawaii.

Emma sighed and once again thanked her lucky stars that she had walked into Roni's bar. Because this… This was everything she could ever have hoped for and more.

 _ **The End.**_


End file.
